The Impact of In-Program Decision-Making on Drug Court Recidivism

• In Event: Correctional Programming

Abstract

Drug courts strive to reduce recidivism through a combination of intensive supervision, substance abuse treatment, and judicial monitoring. This model has seen relative success in achieving this goal as found in research spanning nearly 25 years. Recidivism reductions have been found in studies comparing drug courts and traditional supervision programs. Alternative research has isolated program components in an effort to determine the primary contributing elements to the program’s success. These findings have validated the use of frequent alcohol and illicit drug use monitoring, substance abuse treatment and judicial status hearing. The current research seeks to extend this body of literature by exploring the effects decision-making of both the drug court participant and the drug court team have on recidivism. Specifically, we examine program violations perpetrated by participants and the resulting sanctions ordered by the drug court team to determine potential relationships both may have on future criminal behavior. This research asks the question “How are recidivism rates impacted by participant in-program violations and subsequent sanctions?”

Authors

• Benjamin Gibbs, Ball State University

• William Wakefield, University of Nebraska at Omaha