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

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

This panel highlights the importance of prioritizing practitioner needs when conducting research in applied settings. Pulling from the Drug Court-Treatment Risk Assessment and Quality (DC-TRAQ) project, this session is comprised of papers highlighting our approach, our findings, and lessons learned. The first paper describes our methods for engaging with partner sites and identifying site-specific drug court needs. The second paper examines a Midwestern drug court’s approach to behavior management, analyzing staff perceptions of the effectiveness of behavioral contracts and sanctions on drug court client outcomes. The third paper addresses issues of racial equity, focusing on challenges in a Southern, suburban drug court and proposing solutions to inform practices that better serve the community. The fourth paper investigates attitudes towards medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) among drug court staff and explores how researchers can work with drug court staff to reduce barriers to MOUD for drug court participants. The fifth paper reflects on lessons learned from the DC-TRAQ project and offers strategies for fostering collaborations to drive meaningful change in the field. Together, these papers highlight the importance of research-practitioner partnerships to advance policy and practice in adult drug court settings.

Sub Unit

• Area VI. The Criminal Justice System / 46. Courts & Sentencing

Individual Presentations

• From Outreach to Impact: Developing Successful Researcher-practitioner Partnerships - Stephanie Spiegel, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Deborah Koetzle, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

• Sanctions and Behavior Contracts: The Use of Behavior Management Strategies in a Suburban Drug Treatment Court - Irina Fanarraga, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Jennifer Stanley, Temple University

• Understanding Staff Perceptions of Racial Disparities among Drug Court Clients and Providing More Equitable Solutions - Talia LaSane, Temple University; Julie Garman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• MOUD in Drug Courts: Examining Attitudes, Access, and Challenges to Meeting Client Needs - Jennifer Stanley, Temple University; Irina Fanarraga, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Steven Belenko, Temple University

• Building Bridges: Lessons Learned from the DC-TRAQ Study - Deborah Koetzle, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY; Stephanie Spiegel, John Jay College of Criminal Justice