“Ten Key Components”
of Drug Courts as defined by the
U.S. Department of Justice
(1) Drug courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment
services with justice system case processing.
(2) Using a non-adversarial approach, prosecution and
defense counsel promote public safety while protecting participants’ due process
rights.
(3) Eligible participants are identified early and
promptly placed in the drug court program.
(4) Drug courts provide access to a continuum of alcohol,
drug, and other related treatment and rehabilitation services.
(5) Abstinence is monitored by frequent alcohol and
other drug testing.
(6) A coordinated strategy governs drug court responses
to participants’ compliance.
(7) Ongoing judicial interaction with each drug court
participant is essential.
(8) Monitoring and evaluation measure the achievement
of program goals and gauge effectiveness.
(9) Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes
effective drug court planning, implementation, and operations.
(10) Forging partnerships among drug courts, public
agencies and community-based organizations generates local support and enhances
drug court effectiveness.