title: Parental Criminal Justice Involvement and Children's Involvement With Child Protective Services: Do Adult Drug Treatment Courts Prevent Child Maltreatment?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In light of evidence showing reduced criminal recidivism and cost savings, adult drug treatment courts have grown in popularity. However, the potential spillover benefits to family members are understudied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine: (1) the overlap between parents who were convicted of a substance-related offense and their children's involvement with child protective services (CPS); and (2) whether parental participation in an adult drug treatment court program reduces children's risk for CPS involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Administrative data from North Carolina courts, birth records, and social services were linked at the child level. First, children of parents convicted of a substance-related offense were matched to (a) children of parents convicted of a nonsubstance-related offense and (b) those not convicted of any offense. Second, we compared children of parents who completed a DTC program with children of parents who were referred but did not enroll, who enrolled for <90 days but did not complete, and who enrolled for 90+ days but did not complete. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model group differences in the odds of being reported to CPS in the 1 to 3 years following parental criminal conviction or, alternatively, being referred to a DTC program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children of parents convicted of a substance-related offense were at greater risk of CPS involvement than children whose parents were not convicted of any charge, but DTC participation did not mitigate this risk. Conclusion/Importance: The role of specialty courts as a strategy for reducing children's risk of maltreatment should be further explored.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Child and Family Policy , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gifford
authors.affiliation: b Department of Economics , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Lindsey M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Eldred
authors.affiliation: b Department of Economics , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Frank A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.affiliation: a Center for Child and Family Policy , Duke University , Durham , North Carolina , USA.
authors.forename: Kelly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000068216:Child Protective Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003415:Crime / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003416:Criminal Law / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010290:Parents; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs
keywords: Drug treatment courts; child maltreatment; convictions; substance use