NCJ Number
179815
Journal
National Drug Court Institute Review Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: Summer 1999 Pages: 33-60
Date Published
1999
Length
28 pages
Annotation
As the drug court movement has grown, so has the body of research on program outcomes and participant characteristics, although attempts to determine what participant characteristics and circumstances influence drug court outcomes have been limited.
Abstract
Completed in 1998, the Escambia County, Florida, adult drug court evaluation of predictors of retention and arrest is among the first to address this important area of research. The adult drug court program, initiated in June 1993, is designed to treat nonviolent offenders who have a history of drug use and a limited history of criminal justice system involvement. The evaluation of the program focused on predictors of two major outcomes, completion of a drug court program and criminal recidivism. Criminal justice outcomes were examined during a 30-month follow-up period that included at least 12 months of program involvement. The evaluation involved participants in the program between July 1993 and July 1996. Of 95 individuals, 43 graduated from the program. The duration of drug court involvement for all participants averaged 288 days. Retention in and graduation from the program were successfully predicted by a combination of factors: primary substance abuse problem (alcohol or marijuana versus cocaine); current charges (drug possession versus other charges); living arrangements (with children alone versus with family, friends, or alone); and full-time employment. Findings indicated retention in and graduation from the program hinged on two key factors: (1) severity of the individual's substance abuse problem and stability; and (2)support at work and at home. Further research is recommended to predict and assess the effectiveness of drug courts. 31 references and 6 tables