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VII. The Treatment Experience
The focus groups were asked to discuss their experiences in treatment,
identifying the most positive features as well as the most difficult aspects.
In addition, they were asked about drug testing, acupuncture, and other
issues that may have been relevant on a site-specific basis.
 What are the strengths (“best parts”) of the drug court
treatment program?
 Across all sites, focus group participants who were serious about overcoming
drug problems identified many positive features of the program, including
the structure it provided, its educational aspect, and shared experiences.
Group counseling sessions and relationships with treatment counselors
provided opportunities for positive social interaction and support and
boosted participants’ self-esteem.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
What are the biggest problems or most difficult aspects of treatment?
Focus group participants were challenged by a number of aspects of treatment,
most often the initial commitment to the program. Brooklyn participants
found it difficult to adjust their habits and their attitudes to the structure
of the program. Las Vegas participants talked about difficult home environments
(including the presence of drugs in their homes) and the challenge of
recognizing and dealing with a personal drug abuse problem. Miami participants
said they had to separate themselves from bad peer influences, which often
meant they had to completely change their social circle. Seattle participants
explained how everyday problems and family and financial stresses were
compounded by their drug problems.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
How important is drug testing to the drug court treatment process?
How many participants try to beat the drug tests?
In contrast to the earlier question asking how seriously most participants
take the commitment to drug court (or, put negatively, how many were trying
to fake their way through the program), this question referred specifically
to the experience of drug testing. Discussion about trying to “get
over” in treatment came up spontaneously in a number of contexts,
particularly focusing on urinalysis and how it could be beaten. Urinalysis,
in fact, was a major preoccupation or concern in the focus group discussions.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
Do you think acupuncture is helpful to you in treatment?
The use of acupuncture in the original Miami drug court was the source
of some controversy among officials who were not familiar with its use
and history in substance abuse treatment. The use of acupuncture as an
adjunct to treatment was, however, widely imitated in the courts following
the Miami innovation, including the Las Vegas and Portland courts. Focus
groups in three sites were asked to comment on the use of acupuncture
in their treatment programs. Although acupuncture was generally viewed
positively by focus group participants, some participants thought that
it “did not do much” or had a negative reaction to it. (Some
spoke of having a “thing about needles,” for example.)
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
Do drug courts help people with their problems?
Across the different focus groups and locations, participants mostly
agreed that drug court presented an opportunity, but only for people who
wanted help. Thus, the common view was that it was a real asset for participants
who were serious about getting off drugs. Often, responses to this question
resembled “testifying,” because many participants were fervent
in their appreciation for the opportunity the drug court presented to
them.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
Should drug courts accept people with prior criminal convictions into
treatment?
An important part of planning drug courts is deciding which defendants
and offenders should be allowed to participate. Some courts are very restrictive
about prior records of arrests or convictions, while others have more
open criteria. Focus groups in Las Vegas and Portland were asked whether
they thought the drug court option should be reserved for first-time offenders
or be open to persons with extensive criminal records.
Las Vegas focus group participants said that drug court should be an
option for both first timers and “multiple timers,” but there
should be limits on the number of chances defendants receive. Portland
participants agreed that the program should definitely not be restricted
to first-time offenders—“everyone deserves a chance, regardless
of the circumstances.”
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
Should dealers be allowed to participate in drug court treatment?
In San Bernardino, one of the participants freely discussed his role
as a drug dealer prior to entering drug court. This led to a discussion
of whether dealers should be allowed to participate in drug court. Most
saw low-level dealing as a part of what many addicts do to get their drugs,
and thus, they saw the distinction as artificial. They also argued that
dealers need to learn about the problems they cause.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
What do your friends and family think of your being in drug court?
Focus group participants in Seattle talked about renewed relationships
with friends and family that have resulted from their drug court experience.
Many said that family and friends have been proud and supportive; some
said they have not shared the news that they are in the drug court program
because they do not want to be judged negatively.
Click here for excerpts of comments from focus group participants.
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| An Honest
Chance: Perspectives on Drug Courts |
April
2002 |
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