Juvenile Drug Treatment Court

Pediatr Clin North Am. 2019 Dec;66(6):1193-1202. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2019.08.011.

Abstract

Juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTCs) were established in the 1990s to reduce the cycle of crime, drug use, and delinquency among youthful offenders. The principles and guidelines underlying JDTCs, roles of multidisciplinary team members, and procedures common to JDTCs are described. Youth served by JDTCs are frequently male, identify as racial or ethnic minorities, come from impoverished backgrounds, and experience significant psychiatric comorbidity. This article reviews the small number of clinical trials that have examined adjunctive treatments using family-based and individual behavioral treatment approaches designed to improve the overall efficacy of JDTCs. Considerations for future research on JDTCs are described.

Keywords: Adolescent; Cannabis; Caregivers; Juvenile drug treatment court; Parents; Substance use; Therapeutic jurisprudence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Humans
  • Judicial Role*
  • Juvenile Delinquency / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Juvenile Delinquency / prevention & control
  • Juvenile Delinquency / psychology
  • Juvenile Delinquency / rehabilitation
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / therapy*
  • United States