Addicted to Courts: How a Growing Dependence on Drug Courts Impacts People & Communities

March 22, 2011 The Justice Policy Institute reviewed presented a synthesis of outcome data for drug courts, addiction treatment statistics, and criminal justice spending. The researchers concluded that in the United States, drug courts are an ineffective allocation of scarce state resources. They noted that drug courts limit access to treatment, and create a punitive treatment setting by penalizing relapse with incarceration. Drug court completion rates range from 30% to 70% and recidivism rates are on par with community-based addiction treatment. The resources devoted to drug court programs cannot replace the need for improved treatment services in the community . . .