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:

1. 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.
2. Ensure equitable treatment for all youth by adhering to eligibility criteria and conducting an initial screening.
3. Provide a JDTC process that engages the full team and follows procedures fairly.
4. Conduct comprehensive needs assessments that inform individualized case management.
5. Implement contingency management, case management, and community supervision strategies effectively.
6. Refer participants to evidence-based substance use treatment, to other services, and for pro-social connections.
7. Monitor and track program completion and termination.

 

Read the guidelines and visit the OJJDP’s guideline landing page.