Gender-Responsive Drug Court Treatment

This article presents a case study of decision making in a drug court located the southwestern United States. This study seeks to fill a gap in research on decision making by attending to the ways that drug court officials navigate the demands of a court that is dedicated to both therapy and criminal justice. This analysis differs from previous research by viewing the drug court as a “hybrid organization” and asking how the staff members interact in the decision-making process. Additionally, this research provides an opportunity to investigate the concerns over collaborative decision making raised by critics. The data from this case study reveal that as a hybrid organization, the drug court staff often divides along institutional lines by allowing the counseling staff to manage treatment and the judge to manage punishment. When tensions arise, they are resolved by the structure of the court, which is hierarchical rather than collaborative.

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Predicting drug court treatment completion using the MMPI-2-RF.

Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1037/a0028267 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (4) ◽

pp. 937-943 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Curtis Mattson ◽

Bradley Powers ◽

Dale Halfaker ◽

Steven Akeson ◽

Yossef Ben-Porath

Keyword(s):

Drug Court ◽

Treatment Completion ◽

Drug Court Treatment

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Investigating Mental Health Implications for Drug Court Participants

International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology ◽

10.1177/0306624x20928031 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 0306624X2092803

Author(s):

Alexis M. Humenik ◽

Sindhu Shivaji ◽

Sara L. Dolan

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Justice System ◽

Drug Court ◽

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Clinical Scales ◽

Drug Court Treatment ◽

Abuse Treatment ◽

The Impact

Drug Court Treatment (DCT) Programs seek to integrate substance abuse treatment into the criminal justice system by providing a structured environment for offenders who engage in treatment in lieu of incarceration. DCT has shown successes in reducing drug/alcohol use, recidivism, and cost, but the impact of DCT on non-substance-related mental health outcomes is less clear. This study evaluated mental health correlates within a DCT sample through analyses of participants’ pre-entry and pre-graduation Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory—Second Edition (MMPI-2) profiles. When diagnostic information was available, mood disorders had the highest comorbidity with alcohol/substance use diagnoses. Comparisons across administrations of the MMPI-2 indicated significant differences among mean scores on 6 Clinical scales, and mean profile elevation scores significantly decreased. Results suggest a significant presence of mental health comorbidities in DCT programs, and significant mental health improvements were seen for graduates, suggesting the utility of DCT for treating mental health problems in addition to substance use.

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