Drug court
Definition
A specialist court that diverts substance-dependent offenders from prosecution into supervised treatment, with the judge playing an active monitoring role. Participants who complete the programme may have charges reduced or dismissed. Originated in the United States in 1989 and has spread to over 30 countries.
Related terms
- Community sentence
- A non-custodial sentence served in the community, typically combining unpaid work requirements, supervision by a probation officer, or rehabilitative programme attendance. The...
- Diversion programme
- A scheme that redirects an alleged offender away from formal prosecution, typically for minor or first-time offending, into an alternative process such...
- Electronic monitoring
- The use of radio-frequency ankle tags or GPS tracking devices to enforce curfews or geographic exclusion zones as a condition of bail,...
- Family Group Conference (FGC)
- A restorative justice model developed in New Zealand under the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, in which a young...
- Restorative justice
- A process in which the victim, the offender, and relevant community members meet with a trained facilitator to discuss the harm caused,...
Explained in
- Alternatives to Custody and Restorative JusticeA specialist court that diverts substance-dependent offenders from prosecution into supervised treatment, with the judge playing an active monitoring role. Par...