After reviewing data on the effectiveness of drug courts in reducing recidivism among participants, this fact sheet explains the features of the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA's) Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program.
Intended for individuals involved in the criminal justice system due to substance abuse and mental health issues, adult drug courts deliver structured treatment to offenders with opioid addictions. Having been the most researched criminal justice intervention currently being used, it has a 25-year record of success in diverting drug-addicted individuals from incarceration, reducing their risk of recidivism, and improving public safety and health. On the basis of the proven effectiveness of adult drug courts. BJA established the Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program to provide financial and technical assistance to drug court programs so they can build their capacity and maximize criminal justice and treatment resources. Through the National Drug Court Resource Center, BJA provides drug court practitioners with access to a wide range of drug court resources, including recent evidence-based findings, training and technical assistance, publications, webinars, and a searchable online drug court map. The resources briefly described are the National Association of Drug Court Professional Annals of Research and Knowledge, which is an online archive of decades of research into justice programs and outcomes; and the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders as a drug court treatment option. 4 notes