NCJ Number
196186
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 27 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2002 Pages: 1-5,25,26
Date Published
June 2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article summarizes the findings of an evaluation of the Gary City (Indiana) adult drug court (the "Second Chance Program").
Abstract
The Second Chance Program was established on September 18, 1996, through the Gary City court system in an effort to address cases that involve drug-addicted offenders. The specialized court is a 12- to 24-month program that offers diversion from the traditional adjudication process to an intensive program of treatment and supervision. Those charged with nonviolent criminal offenses and who are 18 or older are allowed to enter guilty pleas that are taken under advisement for 1 year. Since the program's inception, 354 offenders have been accepted into the drug court. Only 100 (28 percent) have been terminated unsuccessfully due to a new charge or a persistent lack of compliance with program rules. An evaluation was conducted from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 1999. During the evaluation period, all participants were placed into one of three groups: graduate, unsuccessful, or active. Thirty-six participants were assigned to each group sample. The evaluation found that the Second Chance Program offers more effective and intense supervision of offenders in the community than traditional adjudication programs, providing for greater accountability of defendants and enhancing the coordination of services among all those involved. Data indicate that participants graduate from the program drug-free based on drug tests, employed, and some with a GED. Most of the graduates remain crime-free. Of the 98 participants who have successfully graduated, only 8 have been rearrested, and 3 have been convicted of a new charge. This is a recidivism rate far below that of drug offenders who do not participate in drug courts. 1 table and 19 references