NCJ Number
151178
Journal
Prison Journal Volume: 74 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1994) Pages: 110-166
Date Published
1994
Length
57 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the Miami Drug Court Model and reports findings of an empirical assessment to determine the court's impact on defendants starting in the fall of 1990 and continuing for a period of 18 months.
Abstract
The Miami Drug Court was established in 1989 in response to the dramatic increase in drug caseloads in the 1980's. The Court is a treatment-oriented court that tries to bring drug treatment to bear on the problems of drug- involved felony defendants through a diversionary, alternative processing approach. The court defines a new, direct role for the judge in managing the processing and treatment of defendants, as well as an unorthodox courtroom approach based on teamwork among defense attorneys, prosecutors, treatment agencies, and other court-related agencies. The early program outcomes from the court are promising, particularly when compared to results from other treatment programs. The criminal justice and public safety outcomes are also promising, at least in a comparative sense. The findings suggest the policy issues that must be addressed relating to the selection and extension of a target population for the treatment drug court approach and demonstrates the need for differentiating among drug court candidates in planning effective and efficient treatment programs. Figures, tables, notes, and 21 references (Author abstract modified)