Overview of Drug Courts

Drug court is an umbrella term that refers to voluntary judicial programs that offer an alternative to imprisonment for nonviolent criminal offenders with substance use disorders (SUD). To combat offenders cycling in and out of the criminal justice system, problem-solving courts use a specialized therapeutic jurisprudence model designed to treat the SUD underlying the criminal behavior and, therefore, reduce recidivism. Participants are held accountable through intensive supervision, frequent judicial status review hearings, random and frequent drug testing, and graduated incentives and sanctions. Drug courts emphasize a holistic and team approach that includes judges, prosecutors, program coordinators, probation officers and case managers, law enforcement, defense counsel, and treatment providers. Continue Reading.