An Examination of the Relationship Between Individual Risk Factors and Drug Court Success: An Application of the Risk, Needs, Responsivity Model
Abstract
Research has documented that drug courts can and do work; however, recent attention has
focused on how individual characteristics may be related to program success and post
program recidivism. It was the purpose of this study to further examine how participant
characteristics may impact post program recidivism by applying the Risk, Needs and
Responsivity framework. A sample of 104 drug court participants and a matched sample of
similar offenders who received treatment as usual was used to test the hypotheses that those
who possess certain risk factors may be less likely to recidivate post program because they
have been appropriately matched to drug courts-a high intensity treatment experience.
Gender and group membership were also explored as potential moderators of the
relationships between individual risks and post program recidivism. Results found no
support for the hypotheses, and no evidence was found suggesting an interaction effect.
Among the entire sample of drug court participants and comparison group members, only
the control variable age was significantly related to post program recidivism; those who
were older were less likely to recidivate. Among only a subsample of completers, group
membership was the only variable significantly related to post program recidivism; those
who were drug court participants were less likely to recidivate.