Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Juvenile Drug Court: Comparisons to Traditional Probation

• Date: 01 December 2016
• Author: Ginger Gummelt,Michael Sullivan
• Published date: 01 December 2016
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/jfcj.12081

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Juvenile Drug

Court: Comparisons to Traditional Probation

By Ginger Gummelt and Michael Sullivan

ABSTRACT

Juvenile Drug Courts have been in operation in the United States for over 20

years, yet their effectiveness and design have been challenged throughout the litera-

ture. Using data collected from a Juvenile Drug Court (JDC) in Southeast Texas, this

project sought to determine if the JDC intervention reduced recidivism compared to

a comparison sample of juvenile offenders. Results indicate that the recidivism rates

of participants in the JDC were lower than the comparison group, suggesting that

the Drug Court intervention was successful. The program completion rates for JDC

youths were also higher for those with fewer infractions. Although the JDC youths

had statistically lower infractions, the intervention overall appears to need strength-

ening. A close inspection of program components could document which program-

matic skills are tied to efficacy, leading to the achievement of better outcomes.

Key words: drug court, probation, recidivism, substance abuse, mental health.

INTRODUCTION

Law enforcement officers, judges, probation officers, social workers, substance abuse

workers, and other mental health workers have all sought to better intervene with juve-

niles facing substance abuse issues. Jefferson County Juvenile Drug Court (JJDC) offers a

unique multidisciplinary approach to address the specific needs of adjudicated youth

with a history of substance use and/or abuse. This study focused on the effectiveness of

the intervention services of the Jefferson County Juvenile Drug Court using the sec-

ondary data provided by the Jefferson County Juvenile Probation Department with a

comparative sample of probation youth. Specifically, this project examined the

Ginger Gummelt, Assistant Professor, and Michael Sullivan, Associate Professor, are both Social

Work Faculty within the Department of Sociology, Social Work and Criminal Justice Department, Lamar

University, Beaumont, TX. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to ginger.

gummelt@lamar.edu

Juvenile and Family Court Journal 67, No. 4

©2016 National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

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