Juvenile drug treatment courts in the United States: initial lessons learned and issues being addressed

This paper provides an overview of the development of juvenile drug treatment court programs in the United States; the goals of these programs; a comparison of the traditional juvenile justice process and services with that of the juvenile drug treatment court; and principal areas in which the juvenile drug treatment court experience has differed from that of the adult drug treatment court. The paper also provides a description of early models and the modifications and enhancements that have subsequently been instituted to enhance program effectiveness; a summary description of the range of juvenile drug treatment court activity currently underway in the United States; the nature of substance use and other issues presented by participating youth; and the major challenges juvenile drug treatment courts are currently addressing.