Douglas B. Marlowe

Prior studies in drug courts have reported improved outcomes when participants were matched to schedules of judicial status hearings based on their criminological risk level. The current experiment determined whether incremental efficacy could be gained by periodically adjusting the schedule of status hearings and clinical case management sessions in response to participants’ ensuing performance in the program. The adjustments were made pursuant to a priori criteria specified in an adaptive algorithm. Results confirmed that participants in the full adaptive condition (n = 62) were more than twice as likely as those assigned to baseline matching only (n = 63) to be drug abstinent during the first 18 weeks of the program; however, graduation rates and the average time to case resolution were not significantly different. The positive effects of the adaptive program appear to have stemmed from holding noncompliant participants more accountable for meeting their attendance obligations in the program. Directions for future research and practice implications are discussed.

Research on effective rehabilitation of drug-involved offenders has advanced considerably in recent years. Yet policies and practices remain rooted in sentiments from decades past when authorities did not know how to supervise drug offenders closely, apply effective behavioral consequences, or treat the disease of addiction. This article reviews evidence-based practices in sentencing, supervision, treatment, and reentry for drug-involved offenders, drawing on painful lessons from past failed policies. Recommendations are offered at each stage in the justice process for incorporating evidence-based principles into sentencing laws, correctional practices, and treatment interventions.

This study evaluated a contingency management (CM) program in a drug court. Gift certificates for compliance were delivered at 4‐ to 6‐week intervals (total value = $390.00). Participants in one condition earned gift certificates that escalated by $5.00 increments. Participants in a second condition began earning higher magnitude gift certificates, and the density of reinforcement was gradually decreased. No main effects of CM were detected, which appears to be attributable to a ceiling effect from the intensive contingencies already delivered in the drug court and the low density of reinforcement. Preplanned interaction analyses suggested that participants with more serious criminal backgrounds might have performed better in the CM conditions. This suggests that CM programs may be best suited for more incorrigible drug offenders.

This pilot study (N = 30) experimentally examines the effects of an adaptive intervention in a misdemeanor drug court. The adaptive algorithm adjusted the frequency of court hearings and case management sessions according to prespecified criteria in response to participants' performance. Results reveal that the adaptive algorithm was acceptable to clients and staff, was feasible to implement with greater than 85% fidelity, and showed promise for eliciting substantial improvements in drug abstinence and graduation rates. Compared to drug court as usual, participants in the adaptive condition were more likely to receive responses from the drug court team for inadequate performance and received those responses after a shorter period. This suggests the adaptive algorithm more readily focused the team's attention on poorly performing individuals, allowing them to address problems before they developed too fully. These preliminary data justify further research evaluating the adaptive algorithm in a fully powered experimental trial.