title: Outcomes among drug court participants: does drug of choice matter?
abstract: The link between drug and alcohol abuse and criminal behavior is clearly illustrated in the literature. The options of how to respond to these offenders, however, has widely fluctuated over time. Currently, many states have reconsidered their "get tough" approach to one that is more rehabilitative in nature. One particular community-based intervention that has gained in popularity is the drug court model. The literature on drug courts is generally supportive; however, there is a need to examine effectiveness by target population. The purpose of this study is to explore recidivism rates of drug court clients by drug of choice. Using a 2-year follow-up period, this study finds that drug of choice does not significantly influence either successful graduation or arrest. Policy implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Criminal Justice, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-5009, USA. Deborah.shaffer@unlv.edu
authors.forename: Deborah Koetzle
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.forename: Shelley Johnson
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Listwan
authors.forename: Terra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Latessa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002188:Cannabis; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D055030:Drug Users / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics; D012008:Recurrence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D009294:Narcotics; D000431:Ethanol