Understanding Staff Perceptions of Racial Disparities among Drug Court Clients and Providing More Equitable Solutions

• In Event: We Need Help: Research-Practitioner Partnerships to Improve Drug Court Practices

Abstract

Despite drug courts’ (DC) effectiveness in reducing recidivism and drug use, racial and ethnic disparities persist at various stages, yet little is known about how DC team members perceive them. This paper examines team members’ perceptions of racial and ethnic disparities within a suburban adult DC in a Southern state. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=12) revealed a disconnect between how team members define and recognize disparities and their perceived responsibility for addressing them. Many saw disparities as external to their DC, attributing them to upstream decision makers in the legal process or broader structural conditions, rather than internal policies as contributing factors. Some viewed challenges for people of color as isolated issues rather than linking them to larger systemic inequities, while others assumed all participants faced the same challenges. Responses to address these issues varied from little awareness to efforts aimed at improving access and outreach to minoritized populations. This paper outlines potential strategies for DCs to implement intentional policy shifts, including revised program criteria, staff training, and inclusive support strategies to better serve racially and ethnically diverse participants.

Authors

• Talia LaSane, Temple University

• Julie Garman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice