NCJ Number
190434
Date Published
2001
Length
42 pages
Annotation
This Scottish study of California drug courts in May-June 2000 was intended to determine which aspects of U.S. drug courts (primarily California drug courts) might be applicable in the Scottish criminal justice system.
Abstract
The 8-day study included attendance at an International Association of Drug Court Professionals Conference and the Sixth U.S. National Drug Court Training Conference, as well as visits to a number of drug courts in California. This report describes the operation of a number of working drug courts; reports on such U.S. evaluations of the drug court system as were made available to the author; identifies a number of key components in the drug court approach; highlights recent developments; and considers which aspects of the approach might be applicable in the context of the Scottish criminal justice system. This report notes that one of the key components of the U.S. drug court approach is a more proactive role for the judge, who, in addition to presiding over the legal and procedural issues of the case, functions as a reinforcer of positive client behavior. The report concludes that the development and implementation of U.S. drug courts have far outpaced research on their effectiveness, although the past few years have seen more comprehensive research studies undertaken. The general consensus of these studies is that drug courts have produced significant economic, social, ad individual benefits. Following the success and level of coordination of U.S. drug courts, a number of other countries have implemented, or are planning to implement, a drug court model. Scotland has an infrastructure, through the use of the probation order, which could be adapted to allow a drug-court approach to be implemented. Courts already have powers of punishment for noncompliance of probation orders. Still, significant changes would be required, such as an increase in local drug treatment and testing facilities to meet the requirements of drug-court referrals and investments in comprehensive planning and team training. Until such changes are achieved, it might be appropriate for identified courts to reserve a period when they would deal with cases typically handled by drug courts (possibly a half day each week). Appendixes include a discussion of the workings of re-entry and prison-based drug treatment programs, as well as descriptions of software to support case-management systems for drug courts.