Juvenile and Family Drug Courts vs.
The Traditional Court Process
Most juvenile court professionals who are establishing juvenile drug courts are initiating these programs
to provide the intensive judicial intervention and supervision of juveniles and families involved in
substance abuse that is not generally available through the traditional juvenile court process. In part
because of high caseloads and in part as a result of a lack of comprehensive treatment resources, the
proponents of juvenile drug courts feel that the traditional juvenile court is becoming a forum focusing
more on the determination of guilt than on the court's original mission of rehabilitation. With the ever-growing prevalence of substance abuse among juveniles and the complexity entailed in their treatment,
which must necessarily involve both the child and his/her living environment, the traditional juvenile
justice process may be unable to deal effectively with the whole problem.
The juvenile and family drug court is designed to fill this gap by providing immediate and continuous
court intervention that includes requiring both the child and the family to participate in treatment, submit
to frequent drug testing, appear at regular and frequent court status hearings, and comply with other
court conditions geared to accountability, rehabilitation, long-term sobriety, and cessation of criminal
activity. Enhancements introduced by the juvenile and family drug court to the traditional court process
for handling these types of cases include:
- Immediate intervention by the court and continuous supervision of the progress of the juvenile and
his/her family by the judge;
- Development of a program of treatment and rehabilitation services that addresses the family's
needs, not simply the child's;
- Judicial oversight and coordination of treatment and rehabilitation services provided to promote
accountability and reduce duplication of effort;
- Immediate response by the court to the needs of the child and his/her family and to noncompliance
by either the child or the family with the court's program conditions; and
- Judicial leadership in bringing together the schools, treatment resources, and other community
agencies to work together to achieve the drug court's goals.
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