This study examined differences between the Baltimore City Drug Treatment Court (BCDTC) participants and control participants on a variety of followup outcomes.
Earlier reports from the evaluation of the BCDTC program show that the BCDTC program was successful in reducing criminal offending in a population of drug-addicted, chronic offenders; that effects on rearrest and recidivism rates favored the treatment participants, and that a cost-benefit analysis found that the court saved more than 2.5 million in criminal justice costs over a 3-year time frame. Participants in the BCDTC reported less involvement in criminal activity than did similar offenders who did not receive BCDTC services. These positive effects on crime were mirrored in the area of substance use; comparing the participants assigned and not assigned to the BCDTC program, the number of different substances used in the past year was lower for BCDTC cases than for control cases, and their scores on a measure of alcohol addiction severity were also significantly lower than controls. BCDTC participants and control cases reported similar physical and mental health statuses. The number of deaths among study participants during the 3 years of following random assignment was roughly equal for treatment and control participants. Family and social relationships were also similar for those who did and did not participate in the program. In terms of socioeconomic outcomes, the two groups reported similar levels of employment at approximately 3 years following randomization. However, BCDTC cases were less likely to be on the welfare rolls at the time of the interview. Data were collected from 157 research participants who were interviewed 3 years after randomization into treatment and control conditions. Tables, notes, references