This is accomplished ideally by breaking the cycle in which defendants are arrested, incarcerated for a minimum period of time, and released to be rearrested within a short time. Many jurisdictions have tried a number of approaches, ranging from special drug courts to informal arrangements between judges and drug treatment centers. The general goal of these programs is to divert offenders facing drug-related charges into some sort of substance abuse treatment. To measure how effective the courts use programs like this to enhance their performance, a 12-member commission has established 22 standards in the five areas of access to justice, expedition and timeliness, equality and fairness, independence and accountability, and public trust and confidence. The assessment of special drug offender programs should be done both across and within jurisdictions. 1 table, 6 notes, and 12 references