‘A second chance at life’: broadening views of success in drug courts

A focus on recidivism in drug court evaluation can lead to the presumption that if a program does not significantly reduce recidivism, there is no reason for it to continue. However, this view obscures the many other contributions drug courts can make to improving health, social, and criminal justice outcomes. Adding qualitative data to the predominantly quantitative literature on drug court outcomes, we draw on the evaluation of the pilot Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List in the Australian Capital Territory, to present participant and practitioner perspectives on success. In doing so, we argue that clients do not necessarily need to ‘pass’ a drug court program to derive benefits. We suggest that evaluations of drug courts should go beyond recidivism measures, to include broader indicators of well-being and social integration, such as physical and mental health, employment, education, and family and community relationships.