NCJ Number
175316
Journal
Juvenile Justice Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: December 1998 Pages: 11-19
Date Published
1998
Length
9 pages
Annotation
Juvenile drug courts are emerging as a promising option for providing appropriate and meaningful drug treatment responses to juveniles and their families while ensuring accountability.
Abstract
The typical juvenile drug court offers juvenile delinquents and, in some courts, juvenile status offenders who meet certain eligibility criteria are offered the option of participating in drug court instead of traditional case processing. The juvenile must have a drug problem and cannot have committed a violent offense. The judge maintains close oversight of each juvenile through regular status hearings with the juvenile and the youth's parents. The hearings sometimes occur weekly. The juvenile and usually the parents must participate in an intensive treatment regimen. Sanctions, which may range from community service or short-term detention, and rewards are used to encourage the juvenile's progress in treatment. The drug court team consists of the judge, prosecutor, public defender, treatment provider, probation officer, and others. These courts need to recognize the critical differences between adolescent drug abuse and that of adults. In addition, the characteristics of adolescent drug abuse suggest the need for flexible and individualized treatment that is coordinated, intensive, and concrete and that works respectfully and collaboratively with families. Assessment is crucial prior to treatment. In addition, providing a network of support helps sustain long-term progress in treatment. Photographs, note, and 25 references