NCJ Number
188166
Journal
Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 2001 Pages: 107-128
Date Published
2001
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This research explored correlates of drug-court graduation of participants who had committed serious crimes, most of whom had a history of violence.
Abstract
Data were obtained from the first 452 clients to enter Track I of Delaware's Superior Court Drug Court between October of 1993 and March of 1997. Track I is the track for probation violators, offenders on Superior Court probation when they are arrested for a new offense, typically a drug charge. Categories of independent variables included demographics (age, gender, race/ethnicity); drug use (crack use as primary or secondary drug-of-choice); substance abuse treatment (type and length of treatment during drug court); and criminal history (before drug court charges). The dependent variable was drug court treatment outcome. The study used ordinary least squares multivariate regression to examine factors that predict drug court treatment program outcome. Findings suggest that it would be more advisable to assess the extent of offenders' charges and the type and/or seriousness of the substance abuse problem rather than whether there is any history of violence when selecting candidates for drug court. Perhaps offenders who have long histories of crime and drug use should be supervised more strictly in their drug court programs. This could include being placed in more intensive treatment programs and being required to meet more regularly with probation officers and the drug court judge for program status updates. Special drug court tracks or programs could be developed to target these more serious and repeat offenders. 4 tables, 3 notes, and 27 references