Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the American Institutes of Research have formulated new evidence-based, treatment-oriented guidelines for juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTC). Components of the guidelines include:
- Focus the JDTC philosophy and practice on effectively addressing substance use and criminogenic needs to decrease future offending and substance use and to increase positive outcomes.
- Ensure equitable treatment for all youth by adhering to eligibility criteria and conducting an initial screening.
- Provide a JDTC process that engages the full team and follows procedures fairly.
- Conduct comprehensive needs assessments that inform individualized case management.
- Implement contingency management, case management, and community supervision strategies effectively.
- Refer participants to evidence-based substance use treatment, to other services, and for pro-social connections.
- Monitor and track program completion and termination.
Read the guidelines and visit the OJJDP’s guideline landing page.