Should We Rescue the Ones Drowning in the Shallow End? Program Evaluation of a Lower-Risk/Lower-Need Drug Court
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Authors
Kell, Carlton Tain
Issue Date
2024
Type
Thesis
Language
Keywords
Accountability , Courts , Drug Court , Recidivism , Rehabilitation , Risk/need
Alternative Title
Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to evaluate a lower-risk/lower-need (LRLN) drug court program, the Cobb County Intermediate Drug Court Program (IDC), to determine its effectiveness in promoting participant recovery and reducing recidivism. This thesis will review the Cobb County, Georgia felony adult Intermediate Drug Court Program over its four-year history (January 2017-January 2021). The relative success and effectiveness of this program is compared with the effects of an eighteen-month, highrisk/high-need (HRHN) treatment court, the Cobb County Adult Drug Treatment Court (ADTC). This qualitative and quantitative program evaluation study assesses the impact of a twelve-month, court-directed program on the overall recovery and rate of recidivism of low or intermediate risk/need level drug court participants during the program and within three years of graduation from the program. Success rates have been measured by graduation rates, amount of time (number of days) in each program, and recidivism rates within the first three years after graduation from the program (or before graduation). This qualitative and quantitative program evaluation study assesses the impact of a twelve-month, court-directed program on the overall recovery and rate of recidivism of low or intermediate risk/need level drug court participants during the program and within three years of graduation from the program. Success rates have been measured by graduation rates, amount of time (number of days) in each program, and recidivism rates within the first three years after graduation from the program (or before graduation). In addition, recidivism rates of the eighteen-month Cobb County ADTC program are compared with IDC results for a sampling of program participants identified in the lowor intermediate-risk levels. Similar recidivism rates between these groups may validate the necessity for other, less intensive programs for low- to intermediate-risk participants. If similar results can be obtained in such less intensive program tracks for lower-risk participants, both the program and the participants benefit. Benefits include preservation of resources for the program and achievement of similar results for program participants in a shorter timeframe while achieving a desirable avoidance of overtreatment. Within each program, data were also compared to ascertain whether varying results were obtained in either program based upon other factors potentially affecting graduation and recidivism, including gender, age, adjudication status, and drug of choice. These objective factors were determined from data within the courts' files with the exception of drug of choice which was determined by the participants' subjective report. Case study/program evaluation involved a secondary data analysis of archival data created over the course of the four-year history of the IDC and data obtained from the ADTC. This data was found in drug court, court, and law enforcement records. Recidivism data was obtained from law enforcement records and public data searches. The results of this study will help jurisdictions evaluate the need for further intermediate-level drug court programs to augment the existing high-risk/high-need programs statewide. Evaluation of this program will also inform the local community and the Superior Court in directing critical funds and manpower and other valuable resources within the county.