Los Angeles County drug court programs: initial results

Area of Science:

• Criminal Justice
• Public Health
• Substance Abuse Treatment

Background:

• Los Angeles County initiated its first drug court in 1994 to address rising crime linked to substance abuse and jail overcrowding.
• The drug court model aims to integrate judicial supervision with treatment and rehabilitation services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Los Angeles drug court program.
• To assess the impact of drug court participation and completion on re-arrest rates.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of 803 drug court participants admitted between 1994 and 1997.
• One-year follow-up period to track new arrests.
• Comparison between drug court participants, drug diversion program participants, and a control group of felony defendants.

Main Results:

• 76% of drug court participants had no new arrests within one year, compared to 63% in diversion programs and 49% in the control group.
• Drug court completers showed an 80% no-arrest rate, versus 67% for non-completers.
• Drug-related re-arrests were 13% for graduates versus 30% for those without program participation.

Conclusions:

• Drug court participation and graduation are associated with a reduced likelihood of repeated arrests, including drug-related offenses.
• Drug courts demonstrate a successful collaboration between criminal justice and public health sectors.
• The findings support drug courts as an effective strategy for addressing substance abuse within the criminal justice system.