NCJ Number
162052
Journal
Alternatives to Incarceration Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (January-February 1996) Pages: 18-20
Date Published
1996
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Drug courts were initiated as efforts to relieve court caseloads and improve case processing, but they have become an entry into recovery and a source of hope for thousands of individuals who previously would have been incarcerated rather than receiving treatment.
Abstract
Approximately 30 drug courts are currently operating, and more are planned. Their common features are that they target offenders soon after arrest; put them in drug treatment immediately; and require participants to be involved in support services, undergo urinalysis, and see the judge regularly. Although the judge has the central role, drug courts are a team effort in which prosecutors, public defenders, counselors, and others work together to help offenders not only end their drug use but also resolve issues relating to work, finances, and family. Most drug court programs are relatively new. Therefore, few outcome data are available. However, the judges involved believe that the programs are making a tremendous difference. The first program was established in Miami in 1989. More than 4,500 drug users have taken part; approximately 60 percent successfully competed the program and are still in treatment. The program is also experiencing unusually low rates of recidivism. The courts in Portland, Austin, Tex., and Baltimore also exemplify the use of this approach. Photograph