NCJ Number
236313
Date Published
March 2010
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This technical assistance bulletin from the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges provides information to professionals on strengthening and maintaining juvenile drug court programs and practices.
Abstract
The primary focus of this bulletin is to provide practitioners with a back to basics approach to strengthening and maintaining juvenile drug court programs and practices. The approach focuses on collaboration, team dynamics, and decisionmaking to ensure that the foundations of the programs are sound and likely to produce enhanced outcomes for participants. Following a brief discussion on the status of current research on the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts, the bulletin discusses a process for developing effective juvenile drug court programs and practices. The process includes four phases: 1) 0-12 months - collaborative planning and design to build a foundation of mutual respect and trust; 2) 12-24 months - full implementation of 16 strategies; 3) 24-36 months - stabilization to create structural integrity to the juvenile drug court model; and 4) 36+ months - institutionalizing the program so that it becomes a mainstream court function. References and a list of additional resources