Open AccessInside the Black Box: A Qualitative Evaluation of Participants’ Experiences of a Drug Treatment Court
Author(s) -
Sarah Kuehn,
Rebecca Ridener
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.335
H-Index - 35
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2470
Subject(s) - drug court , qualitative research , therapeutic jurisprudence , accountability , psychology , perception , jurisprudence , medical education , social psychology , criminology , psychotherapist , law , medicine , sociology , political science , neuroscience , social science , mental health
This study examined the program experiences of participants in a Drug Treatment Court located in Pennsylvania. In-depth interviews were used to investigate participants’ perceptions in regards to program components that aid them in the recovery process and challenges they face while completing the program. Results from the 16 interviews indicate that participants contribute their success in the program to its strict structure, accountability, and dedicated staff who buy into the court’s underlying principles of therapeutic jurisprudence. Implications for other drug treatment courts are discussed.