[1] Drug courts are usually managed by a nonadversarial and multidisciplinary team including judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, community corrections, social workers and treatment service professionals.
This model of court system quickly became a popular method for dealing with an ever-increasing number of drug offenders.
Depending upon the size of a given program, in some counties, the aggregate cost savings exceeded $7 to $9 million per year.
[10] This more current literature contradicts the previously held belief by The Urban Institute that assessed in 2004 that cost-benefit was $2.00 for every $1.00 spent.
[12][full citation needed] Similarly, the UK Ministry of Justice concludes that drug courts are cost-positive by £4,633 per participant.
The NADCP advocates for the establishment, growth, and funding of drug courts and provides for the collection and dissemination of information.
NDCI provides comprehensive drug court training series for practitioners and disseminates research, evaluations, and relevant commentary.
"[19] Similarly, while the majority of drug court research supports the concepts of reduced recidivism rates and cost savings, the methodologies of these studies have come under fire.
The opportunity costs associated with wraparound services—rehabs, transitional living facilities, etc.—which may promote reductions in recidivism rates are rarely included in cost analyses of drug courts, nor are the externalities associated with crimes committed by offenders who are free through drug court dockets, versus incarcerated under the traditional model.
[20] Other works, including a 2007 white paper released by Yale Law School Fellow and titled "Drug Court Fraud", concluded that selection bias invalidated many of the studies suggesting drug courts reduce recidivism rates.
[22] Several recent drug court scandals made national news, including that of 17-year-old Lindsey Dills, who was sentenced to 14 months in jail and 5.5 years of probation for two forged checks of $20 and $40.