NCJ Number
171032
Date Published
1998
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This chapter discusses the legal strategy of intervention.
Abstract
The chapter describes recent changes in the criminal justice system that have encouraged judges to refer individuals to treatment in addition to any punishment; discusses the necessary elements for a treatment court; and recommends guidelines for judges to follow. The traditional goal of the criminal justice system, to deter and punish criminal behavior, and the traditional goals of treatment communities, to decrease problems resulting from substance abuse and to improve the functioning of the patient, have begun to merge. Many States include treatment as a part of a sentencing plan for addicted persons who come to the court's attention through criminal behavior. Current judicial policy supports a model of courtroom intervention, coupled with intensive reporting and treatment through more than 200 drug courts established throughout the country. The chapter discusses 10 critical components that make up a drug court, elements defined by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and examines the concept of "therapeutic jurisprudence." References, resources, bibliography