NCJ Number
177396
Date Published
1999
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This monograph discusses the need for drug court systems, their benefits, their components and operation, challenges to their development, funding resources, and examples of existing systems and proposes a model law for drug court systems.
Abstract
The discussion notes that practitioners have modified drug courts over the past 10 years to include not only the less serious criminal offender involved in drug use, but also post-plea drug offenders, those charged with criminal offenses based on a drug abuse problem, multiple drunk driving offenders, juveniles, and adults charged in the family court with drug-related child neglect. Drug court systems offer an integrated, systematic approach to dealing with a broad range of drug-using offenders. Augmenting existing programs can enable communities to create comprehensive drug court systems as the foundation of an effective mechanism for reducing drug use and crime throughout the community. These systems should include 10 components. Existing programs have demonstrated effective approaches for addressing eligibility and screening issues, case management, applicability to juvenile and family problems, and the development of regional networks. The proposed model laws would focus on funding for drug testing of all arrestees and screening of those determined to have a drug problem, funds for inmate drug treatment in jails and prisons, funded for expanded community-based services, and distribution of funds through a community steering committee. 9 references