Widening Discretion: Case Processing and Collaborative Decision-making Among Drug Court Teams in Chile

• In Event: Drug Charging and Sentencing

Abstract

Drug courts were implemented in the U.S as an alternative to the ineffective and punitive measures adopted by the ‘war on drugs’ in the 1980s. The success of the drug court model has led to the development of drug courts outside of the U.S., including several Latin American countries. As of 2023, Chile has implemented 35 drug courts across the country and has become a model for other Latin American countries. Although previous research suggests drug courts reduce recidivism in Chile, the limited administrative data available suggests problems in the processing of drug court cases. For example, some drug courts did not admit or graduate any participants in 2022, while others reported an important number of participants and graduates. To date, there is a lack of research addressing drug court case disposition and the factors that shape the collaborative decision-making that takes place throughout case processing. Using a mixed-methods approach, the current study examines how cases are processed in drug courts and explores how decisions are made collaboratively among drug court team members throughout case processing. Policy and theoretical implications are discussed.

Author

• Sebastian Galleguillos, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center