What Have We Learned From Evaluations of Drug Courts?

Evaluation studies consistently show that while offenders are participating in drug court, drug use and criminal behavior are substantially reduced. Drug court programs have successfully engaged many drug offenders in long-term treatment while minimizing the public safety risk. Studies also show substantial cost savings due to factors such as lower criminal justice system costs, reductions in incarceration time, and reduced recidivism. Reasons offered for effectiveness of the drug court approach compared with the traditional adjudication process include:

Intensive supervision provided where little existed before
Capacity to promptly deal with relapse and its consequences
Capability to integrate drug treatment with other rehabilitation services to promote long-term recovery

Evaluations of drug courts suggest the importance of the following key elements:

In order to be effective, drug court programs must promptly deal with relapse and its consequences.
Integrating drug treatment with other rehabilitation services helps to promote the long-term recovery of offenders.
Use of a non-adversarial approach is an important component of the drug court, helping to promote public safety and safeguard due process rights of offenders.
To maximize program impact, eligible offenders should be identified and placed into the program as early as possible in their contact with the criminal justice system.
Frequent alcohol and drug testing are required to monitor abstinence of drug court participants.
Ongoing judicial interaction with individual drug court participants reinforces the message that violations of program rules are taken seriously.
Community collaboration efforts with public agencies and community-based organizations increases treatment service availability and local support for the drug court program.

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