Testing Therapeutic Jurisprudence Theory: An Empirical Assessment of the Drug Court Process

• NCJ Number: 195327
• Journal: Western Criminology Review Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: 2001 Pages: 1-21
• Author(s): Scott Senjo; Leslie A. Leip
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 21 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded June 21, 2002

Annotation

This article presents a test of the theory of therapeutic jurisprudence through analyzing drug treatment court processes.

Abstract

This article summarizes a test of the theory of therapeutic jurisprudence through research conducted via Broward County, Florida’s drug treatment court. The theory of therapeutic jurisprudence is based on the idea that legal rules and procedures serve to promote the physical and psychological well being of people. After presenting the theoretical foundations of the theory of therapeutic jurisprudence, the authors describe the ways in which drug treatment courts help drug offenders enter into intensive drug treatment programs. Substituting an adversarial approach to drug offenders with a collaborative style of case management, drug treatment courts provide legal and treatment guidance for non-violent drug offenders. Through court processes such as court monitoring and drug treatment, drug treatment courts are designed to produce positive changing in the offender, which results in positive changes for society. Analyzing urinalysis tests from 100 drug offenders from the Broward County, Florida drug court program, the authors found that supportive court monitoring led to positive offender behavior changes. Tables, references