Michael, 30, had been in and out of court for illegal drug use, domestic violence and failure to pay child support. He was finally sent to drug court, where he got clean and sober and got his life together enough to gain custody of his three-year-old child. He also became lead construction supervisor for a man who had previously fired him for using drugs on the job.

When 18-year-old Jason was sent to juvenile drug court, his parents said the weekly sessions they attended with him throughout the year were a scheduling headache, but well worth the effort. They got their son back and gained valuable insight about their family dynamics in the process.

Susan had a 19-year history of drug abuse and had served time for buying and selling drugs. Drug court gave her the second chance she needed.

The National Drug Court Institute calls drug courts a "quiet revolution" that has occurred in the criminal justice system since Dade County in Florida established the first such court in 1989. Today, over 1,600 drug courts exist in the United States with hundreds more in the planning stage. Although drug courts are designed at the local level to reflect the needs and capacities of each community, all drug courts are part of an innovative judicial model whereby substance abusers who have committed minor felonies are held accountable for their actions and given the tools they need to break the damaging cycle of drug and alcohol abuse. In the best of drug courts, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, probation officers, substance abuse treatment specialists, educational and vocational experts, community leaders, and families work together toward a holistic outcome that focuses on recovery rather than incarceration.

In more traditional courts, unless a probation violation occurs, court involvement ends when an offender is sentenced after pleading or being found guilty. In drug courts, qualified participants enter a "plea of abeyance," a guilty plea that is put on hold while the offender is enrolled in drug court. Upon completion of the program, the guilty plea is withdrawn and the charges are reduced or dismissed. However, if the offender does not complete treatment, he or she still faces sentencing and imprisonment.

Mississippi Judge Keith Starrett, creator of Mississippi's first drug court, was quoted as saying, "Drug court is not ‘hug a thug.' It is not soft on crime." Drug court participants must follow specific rules, detoxify, attend substance abuse programs, comply with frequent drug testing, attend follow-up court appearances, and be closely supervised by identified social service or court personnel. Programs can last 12-24 months and may include an element of community service. Some include educational and vocational assistance.

According to a 2004 report by Join Together, a nonprofit leader in advancing effective alcohol and drug policy, at least three randomized, controlled studies in peer-reviewed journals have shown drug courts to be superior to traditional probationary court approaches. Among other positive findings, these studies revealed significant reductions in post-program criminal recidivism for drug-court participants.

The National Association of Drug Court Professionals states that the average recidivism rate for drug court graduates is between 4 and 29 percent as compared with 48 percent for non-participants. They also point out that drug courts save money: It costs between $20,000-$50,000 per person per year to incarcerate a drug-using offender, whereas a comprehensive drug court system typically costs between $2,500-$4,000 annually for each offender. Studies in Oregon and Texas estimate that $10 is saved for each dollar invested in drug courts. It is also argued that the drug court alternative frees up jail space needed for violent and long-term offenders.

Frequent drug testing, judicial monitoring, intensive supervision, and immediate sanctions greatly enhance a drug or alcohol abuser's chances for success. When drug court participants are given the tools to turn their lives around, many of them do just that. It appears this "quiet revolution" is taking hold, and many courts throughout the country are also beginning to apply the drug court model to DUI (driving under the influence) cases.

As repeat offenders can tell you, the threat of incarceration alone is usually not enough to change the behavior of a drug addict or alcoholic. For them, it is treatment--not prison--that can make the difference. Too often, jail is the end of the road for substance abusers. Drug court, however, can offer new beginnings.

For more information on drug courts, visit the National Drug Court Institute web site at http://www.ndci.org/. Hazelden offers a wide range of materials to help the criminal justice population, including a treatment curriculum called A New Direction. For information, call 800-328-9000.

--Published June 12, 2006