Drug Courts

Abstract

Drug courts provide an intermediate sanction that combines intensive supervision with substance abuse treatment designed to rehabilitate substance‐abusing offenders in order to reduce their recidivism. In doing so, jail and prison populations may also be reduced. Since their inception in 1989, the drug court movement has grown to over 2,000 programs that now operate in the United States. The drug court model is characterized by criminal justice monitoring of participants through frequent drug tests, contacts with supervision personnel, alcohol and drug treatment, and frequent judicial intervention. Through status hearings, the progress of participants is evaluated and rewards and/or sanctions are administered based on the extent of compliance (or lack thereof). The ultimate goal of drug courts is to reduce offender re‐arrests through the mandate of alcohol and drug abstinence.