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Effectiveness of Treatment-Based Drug Courts in Reducing Criminal Recidivism

NCJ Number
180668
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2000 Pages: 72-96
Author(s)
Roger H. Peters; Mary R. Murrin
Editor(s)
Curt R. Bartol
Date Published
2000
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examined outcomes for two treatment-based drug court programs in Florida during a 30-month follow-up period, and outcomes for drug court graduates were contrasted with those of nongraduates and comparison groups that consisted of offenders who were placed on probation supervision during the same period and did not receive drug court services.
Abstract
Implemented in 1993 in Escambia and Okaloosa Counties, the two drug court programs target nonviolent offenders who have a history of drug involvement and a history of limited criminal justice system involvement. The drug courts provide a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, followed by a multimodal treatment program consisting of individual and group counseling, peer support groups, involvement in community support and aftercare groups, and referral to such professional ancillary services as mental health care. Three phases of drug abuse treatment and related services are provided in both programs over a period of about 1 year. An assessment of the programs showed drug court graduates from both programs were significantly less likely to be arrested and had fewer arrests during follow-up, in comparison to nongraduates and probationers. For both drug courts, rates of arrest during the 30-month follow-up period declined in direct relation to the duration of drug court involvement. Drug court graduates had lower rates of drug abuse than comparable groups of treated offenders. Implications of the findings for clinical practice and the need for additional drug court outcome research are examined. 27 references, 4 notes, 4 tables, and 2 figures

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