NCJ Number
183917
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 24 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2000 Pages: 54-56
Date Published
April 2000
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Drug courts have proven to be a cost-effective alternative for dealing with nonviolent drug offenders, since they avoid the costs of incarceration and reduce recidivism.
Abstract
Drug court participants are often placed in a diversion status or the status of a plea held in abeyance. After an initial detoxification period, which may be in a treatment center, they are released from custody. If they successfully complete the drug court program, the charges may be dismissed. Some participants are ordered to complete drug court as part of their sentence, or as a result of a probation violation. Drug courts bring together the supervision of probation, the power of the court, and the tools of drug treatment. Unlike traditional adjudication approaches, the drug court participant reports regularly to the drug court judge. In the initial stages, the participant may see the judge weekly. Due to intensive drug testing, the judge knows whether the participant is staying drug-free. Testing may initially be as often as every 48 hours. A positive test brings an immediate sanction. Drug court participants are assigned to a case manager, who is usually a probation officer or court tracker. In addition to remaining drug-free, participants must also show progress in academic and employment endeavors. The drastic reduction in drug use by drug court participants and the consequent reduction in criminal activity associated with drug use is confirmed by urinalysis reports for drug court defendants, usually well over 90 percent negative.