History

The first Drug Treatment Court (DTC) was established in the United States in 1989.  These courts are designed to supervise cases of drug dependent offenders who have agreed to accept treatment for their substance abuse. They are a unique, systematic,and coordinated approach to the management of offenders with substance abuse difficulties.

 

The uniqueness of DTCS’s lies in their ability and willingness to combine the traditional processes of the criminal justice system with those of the drug treatment community. The result has been a blend of treatment and judicial supervision which stands as the essence of the DTC concept.

 

Key Principles

Effective DTCs were first identified by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals in 1997, and then modified by the Expert Working Group (EWG) of the U.N. Office of Drug Control. What follows is the IADTC's modifications, with the goal of being technically capable of implementation across the world’s major legal systems.

 

 

BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Click to download


13 Key Principles for Court-directed Treatment and Rehabilitation Programmes

 

The EWG formulated the following fundamental principles for successful court-directed treatment and rehabilitation programmes:

  1. The programmes integrate substance dependency treatment services with justice system case processing.
  2. Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and defence lawyers promote public safety while protecting offenders’ due process rights.
  3. Eligible offenders are identified early and promptly integrated into the programme.
  4. The programmes ensure access to a continuum of substance dependency treatment and other rehabilitation services.
  5. Compliance is objectively monitored by frequent substance abuse testing.
  6. A coordinated strategy governs responses of the court to programme non-compliance (and compliance) by offenders.
  7. Ongoing judicial interaction with each offender in a programme is essential.
  8. Monitoring and evaluation measure the achievement of programme goals and gauge effectiveness.
  9. Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes effective planning, implementation, and operations of these court-directed programmes.
  10. Forging partnerships among courts directing treatment programmes, public agencies, and community-based organizations generates local support and enhances programme effectiveness.
  11. Ongoing case management includes the social support necessary to achieve social reintegration.   
  12. There is appropriate flexibility in adjusting programme content, including incentives and sanctions to better achieve programme results with particular groups, such as women, indigenous people and minority ethnic groups.
  13. Post treatment and after-care services should be established in order to enhance long term programme effects.

 


 

 

Justice Paul Bentley of the Toronto Drug Treatment Court poses with a recent graduate