NCJ Number
236981
Journal
Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: April-June 2011 Pages: 181-193
Date Published
June 2011
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study is the first to focus on the link between juvenile drug court participation and conviction for adult crime.
Abstract
Juvenile drug courts have been developed with the explicit mission of reducing juvenile substance use and related delinquency, and adult crime. Research has shown that juvenile drug courts continue to be popular and effective alternatives to other juvenile court initiatives in terms of decreasing juvenile recidivism. This study is the first to focus on the link between juvenile drug court participation and conviction for adult crime. The juvenile records of 79 former juvenile drug court participants in Tennessee were compared with their adult criminal convictions. Our findings indicate that graduating from juvenile drug court reduced adult felonies, but not misdemeanors, racial differences between Whites and non-Whites were noted. (Published Abstract)