Treating Substance Abuse Offenders in the Southwestern United States
Nathaniel J. Pallone in Treating Substance Abusers in Correctional Contexts: New Understandings, New Modalities, 2012
A drug court is a special court given the responsibility to handle cases involving drug-addicted offenders through an extensive supervision and treatment program. Drug court utilizes a case management team approach. The team is typically comprised of the presiding judge, the prosecutor, the defense counsel, a psychologist and/or substance abuse treatment specialist, a vocational counselor, a probation officer, education specialists and community leaders (Belenko, 1996). Drug courts are designed to motivate offenders to overcome their substance abuse problems and reconnect to the community as productive citizens, and to support them as they do so. In addition, these courts are intended to ensure consistency in judicial decision-making, enhance the coordination of community agencies and resources and increase the cost-effectiveness of sentencing and maintenance for those convicted of minor drug-related crimes.
Legal Strategy
Robert K. White, Deborah George Wright in Addiction Intervention, 2014
A national survey of police chiefs found that over half believe they have been unsuccessful in reducing the drug problem. By two to one, the police chiefs favor treatment courts as more effective (59 percent) than jail or prisons (28 percent) for drug users. A fundamental overhaul of the way we deal with the drug problem is overwhelmingly favored by all chiefs.1 In 1996, The National Review declared, "The War on Drugs Is Lost"2 and criminal justice officials now tend to agree. Current judicial policy supports a model of courtroom intervention, coupled with intensive reporting and treatment through the over 200 "drug courts" established throughout the country. A "drug court" is specifically designated within a jurisdiction to administer cases referred for judicially supervised drug treatment and rehabilitation. The mission of drug courts is to stop the abuse of alcohol and other drugs and its related criminal activity. As a result, more than 28,000 criminal defendants are participating in drug treatment courts in forty-four states.3
Effects of a Drug Diversion Court on Client Recidivism
Barbara Sims in Substance Abuse Treatment with Correctional Clients, 2012
In response to this problem, many jurisdictions have begun utilizing drug courts in an effort to reduce the strain on regular criminal courts and to address the underlying problems of addiction. The alternative solution sought with the implementation of drug courts offers nonviolent substance-abusing offenders an effective solution to drugs and drug-related crime. The main purpose of drug courts is to use the authority of the court to reduce crime by changing defendants’ drug-using behavior. In exchange for the possibility of dismissed charges or reduced sentences, defendants are diverted to drug court programs. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (1995), two main types of drug courts have evolved: (1) those that expedite the processing of drug cases and (2) those that use court-monitored drug treatment to achieve changes in defendants’ drug use. The most prevalent type of drug court is the latter, which combines treatment with adjudication of cases.
Racial Disparities in Drug Court Graduation Rates: The Role of Recovery Support Groups and Environments
Published in Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 2018
JOHN ROBERT GALLAGHER, ELIZABETH A. WAHLER
Drug courts have been in an important part of the criminal justice system since the first program began in 1989 in Dade County (Miami), Florida. In nearly three decades, the number of drug courts has increased to 3,057 and these programs are now operating in all 50 United States (National Association of Drug Court Professionals [NADCP], 2017). Drug courts are a unique criminal justice intervention that focus on rehabilitation for individuals who have a substance use disorder, while also balancing public safety. Drug courts are conceptualized by their 10 key components, which are designed to enhance motivation for change through a strengths-based, nonadversarial approach (NADCP, 2004). Key components of drug courts, for example, include requiring participants to attend treatment for their substance use disorders, having participants meet with the judge frequently, sometimes weekly, to provide an update on their progress in the program, offering incentives (e.g., a round of applause in court) and sanctions (e.g., community service) in response to participants’ behaviors in the program, and having frequent and random drug testing.
A Focus Group Analysis with a Drug Court Team: Opioid Use Disorders and the Role of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Programming
Published in Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 2021
John R. Gallagher, Anne Nordberg, Zephi Francis, Preeti Menon, Meredith Canada, Raychel M. Minasian
A significant proportion of individuals with opioid use disorders interface with the criminal justice system. One study estimated that from 2015 to 2016, at least 20% of people with opioid use disorders were involved with the criminal justice system in the previous year (Winkelman et al., 2018). Drug courts are a commonly used intervention in the criminal justice system to treat individuals who have substance use disorders including opioid use disorders, and according to the National Drug Court Resource Center (2019), over 3,000 drug courts operate in the U.S. Drug courts, also referred to as problem-solving courts or drug treatment courts, work with individuals who have substance use disorders and drug-related crimes (e.g., possession of a controlled substance). The first drug court began in 1989, and over the last three decades, research on drug courts has demonstrated that they reduce participant criminal recidivism and arrests for nonviolent offenses, in comparison to other criminal justice programs, such as probation (Mitchell et al., 2012).
Examining Factors Associated With Program Completion Among Women Participants in a Statewide Drug Court Program
Published in Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 2018
LISA M. SHANNON, AFTON JACKSON JONES, ELIZABETH PERKINS, JENNIFER NEWELL, CONNIE M. PAYNE
Drug courts provide a community-based treatment alternative for individuals with substance abuse problems and criminal justice system involvement. Drug courts were established nationally to respond to the overlap between substance abuse and crime (National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 1997). Drug courts seek to end the substance abuse and crime cycle by coordinating the efforts of judges, attorneys, probation and parole officers, law enforcement personnel, and mental health, social services, and treatment providers (National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 1997). The purpose of drug court is to provide comprehensive, community-based rehabilitation. General benchmarks are established via the Key Components (National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 1997), such as (a) integration of treatment with justice system processing; (b) utilization of a nonadversarial approach; (c) early and prompt identification and program placement; (d) provision of a continuum of treatment and other services; (e) frequent and random drug testing; (f) coordination of strategies via a multidisciplinary team; (g) ongoing judicial interaction; (h) monitoring and evaluating program operations; (i) interdisciplinary education; and (j) forging community partnerships (National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 1997). The Key Components provide broad programmatic guidelines while allowing services to be individualized and tailored to meet unique needs. Most drug court programs accept participants via various referral pathways and have a screening process for acceptance.