Drug Treatment Courts, British Style: The Drug Treatment Court Movement in Britain

• NCJ Number: 198588
• Journal: Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 37 Issue: 12 & 13 Dated: October/November 2002 Pages: 1595-1614
• Author(s): Philip Bean
• Editor(s): Stanley Enstein Ph.D.
• Date Published: October 2002
• Length: 20 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Special Issue on Drug Treatment Courts for additional articles see NCJ-198583-87 and NCJ-198589-93.

Annotation

This paper reviews the uneven status of drug treatment courts throughout Britain.

Abstract

The development of drug treatment courts in Britain is described as being inhibited by the Drug Treatment and Testing Order in England and Wales, as it was a very weak version of drug treatment court. It is noted that the Republic of Ireland (Eire) has a drug treatment court and Scotland will have one by the end of 2001, but there were no drug treatment courts in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland at the time this article was written. Topics covered are an overview of drug treatment courts in Britain and the United States, generally, with a discussion of the situation in Scotland and Eire; some major features of drug treatment courts; drug treatment courts in Scotland; drug treatment courts in Eire; and drug treatment courts in England and Wales. It is noted that opposition takes a passive form, more like inertia or structural temerity, based on the perception that the problem is being addressed adequately without drug treatment courts. It is predicted by the author, however, that drug treatment courts will be implemented in England and Wales within the next decade, as the present system cannot meet the demands placed on it. References