Using the principles of reintegrative shaming as an interpretive framework, a study examined the relative effectiveness of legal sanctions for drug offenders processed either within or outside a specialized drug court in Las Vegas, NV. Contrary to expectations based on its structural similarity to the principles of reintegrative shaming, risks of recidivism for drug court participants were significantly higher than comparable offenders processed outside drug court. These unexpected findings resulted from the fact that the drug court was actually more stigmatizing than conventional courts and was not reintegrative enough in its orientation toward punishment. The study illustrates the utility of the reintegrative shaming theory as an interpretive framework for understanding the social control paradox, i.e., that it may lead to both deviance and conformity. The article includes a review of the literature on drug courts and previous applications of the theory of reintegrative shaming. Tables, notes, references