Criminal Justice System Drug Courts

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Criminal Justice SystemDrug Courts

• George Carlson MD

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• Drug related offenses sentenced to state prisons
• 1980 9,000 1998
  107,000
• Drug court offers a choice between the usual
  criminal proceedings or the voluntary proceedings
  of an abstinence based program focused on
  community reintegration
• Drug court utilizes the concept of addiction as a
  chronic relapsing medical condition. A judge is
  intimately involved making sure that there are
  consequences for misbehavior
• Three phases Initiate abstinence, treatment,
  relapse prevention

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10 Key Components

• Integrate alcohol and other drug treatment
  services with justice system
• Nonadversarial approach, promote public safety
  while protecting participants due process rights
• Eligible participants identified early and
  promptly placed in program
• Provide access to continuum of alcohol, drug, and
  related treatment and rehabilitation services
• Abstinence monitored through frequent alcohol and
  other drug testing
• Coordinated strategy governs responses to
  participants compliance
• Ongoing judicial interaction with each
  participant is essential
• Monitoring and evaluation measure achievement and
  effectiveness
• Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes
  effective planning, implementation, and operation
• Forging partnerships among public agencies and
  community based organizations generates local
  support and enhances effectiveness

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Typical Program Features

• Written contracts
• 12-18 month duration
• Urine drug screens
• Graduation depends on 180 day sobriety, clean
  and sober living, full time employment, fines and
  fees paid
• Real consequences for relapse jail time,
  dismissal from program, fines, service
• Focus not on punishment rather on treatment
  compliance and program retention

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Some encouraging results

• GAO 2005 report 10 to 20 reduction in
  recidivism during the first year post drug court
  graduation which persisted through the second
  year
• GAO 2005 report 1,000 to 15,000 savings per
  participant in various drug courts assessed
• Bureau of Justice Assistance Bulletin 2005 Drug
  Courts are an effective strategy for communities
  facing methamphetamine crisis