Using the Key Components for Drug Courts as an Assessment Tool: An Australian Case Study

In this article, we use the 10 Key Components for Drug Courts (Components), to evaluate the performance of Australia’s newest adult drug court, the Australian Capital Territory Drug and Alcohol Sentencing List (DASL). We track DASL’s performance over the first 18 months of operation, finding that the program adhered quite well to the Components and slightly improved its performance over time, with room for development in several areas. We conclude by reflecting on the value of evaluating drug courts using multiperspective quantitative and qualitative data that measure adherence to the Components. This method of evaluation can help practitioners and policymakers identify where practice may diverge from the Components and thus undermine success, as well as helping to recognise innovative and contextually appropriate ways of implementing the Components. In order to promote continuous improvement in drug court practice, we suggest that drug courts regularly assess their performance against the Components, in addition to more traditional outcome-based measures.