NCJ Number
213695
Date Published
January 2003
Length
71 pages
Annotation
This paper reports on an evaluation of the implementation of the Fayette County Juvenile Drug Court (Kentucky), assessing its implementation according to the 16 strategies recommended by the U.S. Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Abstract
The 16 strategies pertain to collaborative planning, teamwork, clearly defining a target population and eligibility criteria, judicial involvement and supervision, monitoring and evaluation, community partnerships, comprehensive treatment planning, developmentally appropriate services, gender-appropriate services, cultural competence, a focus on strengths, family engagement, educational linkages, drug testing, goal-oriented incentives and sanctions, and confidentiality. The process evaluation concluded that the Fayette County Juvenile Drug Court had successfully incorporated these strategies in its implementation. The program staff attempts to meet the need of each participant, and the opinions and suggestions of team members are considered by the judge before making final decisions about participants. The cohesiveness of the drug court team provides a supportive and therapeutic environment that facilitates the recovery of participants. The evaluation recommends building stronger relationships with local treatment programs, increasing the involvement of participants' families, enrolling 30 percent of eligible youth each year, and developing a plan for funding the court beyond grant monies. Evaluation methods included interviews with court team members, participant observation, a focus group, and a review of program documentation. 8 figures and appended participant observation coding sheet, the participant record coding sheet, and the consent and script for the focus group