Drug Courts and the Facilitation of Turning Points

Abstract

Life course theory has been used to explain why people stop committing crime and/or deviant behavior. Life course theory scholars have demonstrated important life events, such as marriage, gaining employment, or joining the military, have led to reduced recidivism; however, drug courts might also legitimately be considered a turning point for an offender. This study utilized semistructured interviews with former drug court participants (n ¼ 29) in an attempt to expand life course theory and demonstrate how drug courts should be considered a facilitator of ''turning points'' for previous criminal offenders. During the interviews, participants discussed how drug court helped them attain many important skills/ideas: self-esteem, improved relationships with family and children, a general educational development certificate, a driver's license, and/or gainful employment. A gendered analysis demonstrates women found drug court to be more useful at facilitating turning points than their male peers. Additionally, recidivism rates for the participants were lower than similarly situated offenders at the state level. While further research is needed, this study begins to advance the expansion of life course theory.

A Qualitative Analysis of Family Dynamics and Motivation in Sessions With 15 Women in Drug Treatment Court

“…10 Drug Treatment Court (DTC) aims to replace SUD and incarceration cycles with treatment. 11,12 Generally, DTC graduation requires SUD treatment, 1 year of sobriety, education and employment progress, and obtaining housing. Drug Treatment Court participants regularly appear in court to report to the judge, have random drug screens, and meet their DTC case manager.…”

“…11 On average, recidivism rates decreased from 50% to 38%, with the decrease lasting up to 3 years, and higher effectiveness among women. 11,12 To maximize outcomes, it is worth exploring motivation and family factors that are especially salient for women DTC participants.…”

Improving Drug Courts: A Preliminary Study

“…Additionally, the method is especially useful for gaining access to members of hardto-reach populations, which of course include drug court participants because of the continuing stigma associated with their involvement with the legal system facing AOD charges (Messer et al, 2016). For example, some of the early interviewees identified friends, relatives, or other acquaintances who were involved with drug courts in some way and who later agreed to be interviewed.…”

Substance Abuse Therapeutics

“…Motivational interviewing (MI) [92] Discusses the combination of MI with cognitive behavioral technique [93] Considered the connection between therapist attitude toward MI and impact on client interpersonal functioning Drug court [94] Evaluated drug courts as a promoter of "turning points" for offenders in areas of self-esteem, relationship, educational development, employment [95] Examination of the value of compulsory treatment of addiction in Australia and the United States Alcoholics anonymous [96] Considers the value of the "therapeutic alliance" that develops in AA as a significant curative factor [97] Examines the effectiveness of AA in a research method that reduces previous method problems. Support for the effectiveness of AA is reported.…”