Effectiveness of treatment-based drug courts in reducing criminal recidivism

This study examined outcomes for two treatment-based drug court programs du ring a 30-month follow-up period. Outcomes for drug court graduates were co ntrasted with those of nongraduates and of comparison groups that consisted of offenders who were placed on probation supervision during the same peri od and did not receive drug court services. Drug court graduates from both programs were significantly less likely to be arrested and had fewer arrest s during follow-up in comparison to matched probationers and nongraduates. For both drug courts, the rates of arrest during the 30-month follow-up per iod declined in direct relationship to the duration of drug court involveme nt. Drug court graduates had lower rates of substance abuse than comparable groups of treated offenders. The implications for clinical practice and th e need for additional drug court outcome research are discussed.