Diversion Drug Court Recidivism Three Years Later

Drug courts aim to reduce justice involvement in the short and long term. This study examines recidivism outcomes in one Florida county for participants 3 years post-drug court completion. Results indicate that over a third of the sample recidivated but that, on average, it took over a year to be rearrested. Contrary to some prior research that finds sex and race differences in recidivism, we did not detect any significant differences. However, participants who reported their drug of choice as something other than marijuana were more likely to recidivate. Participants with more sanctions during the program were also more likely to recidivate, whereas spending longer in drug court led to decreased odds of recidivism. Results can be used by the court as evidence of program effectiveness, to identify risk factors for recidivism to better address them during the program, and to contribute to the literature on the impacts of problem-solving courts.