NCJ Number
158507
Journal
Correctional Alliance Dated: (Fall 1994)
Date Published
1994
Length
1 page
Annotation
More than 30 drug court programs exist in the country, and judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and other court professionals have formed a coalition, the Drug Court Association, to lobby for Federal funds and offer technical assistance to communities interested in developing drug court programs.
Abstract
Dade County (Fla.) established the first drug court in 1989. The county decided that treatment in lieu of incarceration appeared to be a logical approach, given the observation of many experienced court officials that incarceration often did little to change the behavior of addicted offenders. Although treatment rather than incarceration is the method for rehabilitation for drug courts, public safety remains the goal of drug courts. Drug court founders concluded that it was impossible to punish, threaten, or scare addiction out of people. In form and function, drug courts operate differently from traditional courts. Drug court judges serve as treatment advocates who recognize addiction as a chronic, relapsing disorder best addressed by participation in a drug treatment program rather than punishment in jail. Informed, committed judges are central to the effectiveness of drug courts, says Tim Murray, director of Dade County's Office of Substance Abuse Control. Although treatment may appear to be easier than incarceration, Murray points out that the treatment program is far more rigorous and demanding than incarceration. In addition, a year's worth of drug treatment for a client, complete with group and individual therapy, drug testing, vocational counseling, and more services, costs the same as 11 days in the county jail. Program completion takes 17 months on the average, but some participants have been addicted for 20 years.