Perceptions of Racial and Ethnic Disparity within an Adult Drug Court

• In Event: Poster Session 2

Abstract

There is evidence to suggest that racial and ethnic disparities, related to admissions, program progress, and completion rates, exist within adult drug courts (ADC). For example, persons of color may be less likely to enter ADC due to stringent screening requirements (NACDL, 2009), are more likely to perceive unfair treatment while in programming (Gallagher, 2013), and graduate at lower rates compared to their white counterparts (Hardin, 2016; Marlowe et al., 2016). The current study explores drug court team member perceptions of racial and ethnic disparities within a suburban ADC in a southern state. Interviews were conducted with 12 team members as part of a larger study on ADCs in April 2024. Using a semi-structured interview guide, participants were asked about their definitions of equity and inclusion, perceptions of disparities within the ADC, and challenges when seeking to address disparities. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to code and analyze the data. Findings of this study suggest themes relevant to improving our understanding of drug court team member perceptions of racial and ethnic disparity and offer a number of policy and research implications.

Authors

• Julie Garman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Talia LaSane, Temple University

• Irina Fanarraga, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center

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

• Stephanie Spiegel, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Debi Koetzle, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Jennifer Stanley, Temple University