The study concerns 124 alcoholics compulsorily committed to a locked ward at Runnagården, a coercive treatment setting in mid-Sweden. Three groups are compared: 57 patients were admitted before, and 29 were admitted after the implementation of an introductory AA-oriented programme on the ward. Another 38 patients were admitted after the changes in legislation which resulted in a longer duration of compulsory care. The groups were compared as to the number of days spent on the locked unit and the number of abscondings. With the implementation of the programme, a significant reduction was observed in the time needed on the locked ward, while the number of abscondings showed weaker tendencies of decrease. After the legislative changes were made, the same factors increased. Multivariate regressions were used to check confounding background factors. In conclusion, the introduction of an AA-oriented programme in a coercive treatment setting reduced the time spent on a locked ward without increasing the number of abscondings. Increase in length of coercion increased both time spent at the locked ward and the number of abscondings.