Examining the link between treatment-based drug courts and incarceration rates among adult offenders in Hidalgo County

• In Event: Specialty Court Evaluation Studies

Abstract

Beginning in the 1970s, the United States became seriously concerned with the increasing availability and use of illicit drugs, and its potential impact. This concern led to the “War on Drugs,” which influenced laws such as the Rockefeller drug laws that mandated prison sentences for many drug offenses. These laws gradually led to major concerns such as overcrowding and economic sustainability. Today, lawmakers and practitioners are seeking alternatives to incarceration as a means of not only punishing drug offenders, but also reducing the prison population and the economic cost. Accordingly, this paper examines the outcomes for a group of drug court graduates, a group of offenders placed in the community without treatment, and a group of offenders sentenced to prison. The findings are presented. Recommendations and implications for future studies are discussed.

Authors

• Marika Dawkins, University of Texas - Pan American

• Faustino Lopez, III, Hidalgo County Community Supervision and Corrections Department