NCJ Number
242595
Date Published
February 2012
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This "Fact Sheet" draws on research findings in providing advice on criteria for eligibility to participate in a drug court that uses all 10 key components of intensive treatment and monitoring.
Abstract
Research has shown that such a drug court is most effective with offenders who are substance dependent and at risk of failing in less intensive rehabilitation programs. Drug courts that focus on these "high-risk/high need" offenders reduce reoffending approximately twice as much as drug courts that serve less serious offenders and return approximately 50 percent greater cost-benefits to their communities (Lowenkamp et al., 2005; Fielding et al,. 2002). Compared with drug courts serving only drug-possession cases, drug courts that also included offenders charged with theft and property crimes driven by a drug addiction have produced nearly twice the cost savings (Carey et al., 2008). On the other hand, placing non-dependent or low-risk individuals into intensive treatment and monitoring regimens has been associated with significantly poorer outcomes and high recidivism (Lovins et al., 2007). It is unwarranted to assume that simply because an individual is arrested for a drug offense that he/she must be dependent on drugs and in need of intensive substance abuse treatment. This paper discusses assessment instruments and outlines the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for substance dependence. The author also advises that jurisdictions which do not have the resources for multiple drug courts that serve offenders with varying risk/need should develop multiple tracks within a single court, with each track tailored to offenders with a particular risk/need assessment.