Review of Specialized Family Drug Courts: Key Issues in Handling Child Abuse and Neglect Cases

Adele HarrellAlice GoodmanThe Urban Institute2100 M Street, N.W.Washington, DC 20037REVIEW OF SPECIALIZED FAMILYDRUG COURTS: KEY ISSUES INHANDLING CHILD ABUSE ANDNEGLECT CASESFebruary 1999 This report was prepared under Grant NIJ#97-IJ-CX-0013 from the National Institute of Justice. The nonpartisan Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy ofpublic consideration. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributedto the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders. TABLE OF CONTENTSFamily Drug Courts .......................................................................................................................1Changing Child Welfare Laws and the Role of the Court .............................................................2Lessons from Drug Courts .............................................................................................................5Therapeutic Jurisprudence ...........................................................................................................10Innovative Family Drug Court Operations ...................................................................................12The Manhattan Family Treatment Court ................................................................................. 13Eligibility ............................................................................................................................ 14Orientation and Arraignment .............................................................................................. 15Assessment and Program Entry .......................................................................................... 15Client Treatment and Monitoring ........................................................................................17Disposition ...........................................................................................................................18Treatment Court Completion ...............................................................................................18Progress to Date ...................................................................................................................19Suffolk County Family Drug Treatment Court ........................................................................19Eligibility .............................................................................................................................20Orientation and Arraignment ...............................................................................................21Assessment and Case Planning ............................................................................................21Orders of Disposition ...........................................................................................................22Frequent Monitoring ............................................................................................................22Sanctions and Rewards ........................................................................................................23Program Completion/Termination .......................................................................................23Progress to Date ...................................................................................................................24The Escambia County Family Treatment Court (Pensacola, Florida) .....................................24Eligibility .............................................................................................................................25Entry into the Family Drug Court ........................................................................................26Assessment and Treatment ..................................................................................................27Case Monitoring ...................................................................................................................28Program Completion/Termination .......................................................................................29Progress to Date ...................................................................................................................29Implementation Issues ..................................................................................................................29Lessons on FDCs .........................................................................................................................32Gaps and Future Directions ..........................................................................................................34Evaluation Issues ..........................................................................................................................35References ....................................................................................................................................38 1Review of Specialized Family Drug Courts:Key Issues