Drug misuse and abuse has become a part of the social norm for many. There are some individuals who make silent cries for help, but do not know who or where to turn to get the help they need. One program designed to decrease drug use is Drug Courts. The purpose of drug courts is to rehabilitate those suffering from drug abuse, and mental health issues (What Are Drug Courts, n.d.).
Instead of placing individuals who abuse drugs in the prison systems, drug treatment courts offer supervised rehabilitation for individuals suffering from drug abuse through the court system (What Are Drug Courts, …show more content…
In fact, research has shown that drug courts are more effective than the prison system and other programs that are designed to reduce drug use (Drug Courts Work, n.d.). Through the use of drug treatment courts, the government has saved money, helped restore families, reduced crime, combatted meth addiction, and ensured compliance (Drug Courts Work, n.d.). Drug courts have been proven to be the most effective strategy in reducing drug use and crime (Drug Courts Work, n.d.).
One notable study on the effectiveness of Drug Courts was conducted in the city of Baltimore (Drug Courts Are Effective, 2011). In this study, it was concluded that those who used drug courts did not spend as much time in prisons or jail as other offenders (Drug Courts Are Effective, 2011). It was also concluded that these individuals were more likely to have their sentences reduced, attended more therapy sessions, continued enrollment in treatment, and also committed fewer crimes (Drug Courts Are Effective,