A major criticism of correctional programs is that they lack a clear theoretical foundation for the services delivered; yet, there had been little empirical exploration of this issue. Using a survey of 149 staff working in correctional programs that employed a cognitive behavioral approach, it was examined (1) whether theoretical frameworks informed staff beliefs about the causes of drug use and criminal behavior; (2) if intervention strategies were guided by theory; and (3) the degree of theoretical consistency between beliefs about causation and intervention. Consistency was hypothesized to occur when the underlying theories of etiology for criminal behavior/substance abuse corresponded to the recommended intervention strategies. Results suggested that staff adhered to theoretical rationales for both drug abuse causation and intervention more so than would have been predicted based on the literature in this area. There was a fair amount of inconsistency between the theories that informed causation and those that underlied interventions. As expected, staff adhered to principles derived from social learning theories but they also subscribed to principles from social control, labeling, and strain. This study discussed the implications of these findings for program design, implementation, and outcomes.