Racial Differences in Graduation Rates From Adult Drug Treatment Courts

Abstract

Drug courts have demonstrated promise as an intervention that is effective in reducing recidivism and thereby providing a viable alternative to incarceration for drug-involved offenders. Despite their promise, it is not clear that African Americans are as likely to have positive outcomes in drug courts as other clients. This article reviews recent research on racial differences in completion of drug court and uses multivariate analysis to assess the impact of race on drug court graduation in a Midwestern jurisdiction. We find evidence that race may interact with psychological distress to reduce the likelihood of graduation for African American clients.