An impact evaluation found that the program had a statistically significant increase in the well-being of children whose parents received the intervention, as well as increased family reunification and fewer adoptions and terminations of parental rights. Children spent an average of 645 days in foster care, compared to an average of 655 days for those whose parents did not receive the intervention. This difference was statistically significant.
As for the recidivism variable, parents who received treatment were less likely to recidivate in the first year after their case started to be processed, and this pattern held for four years after drug court admission, with the pattern of differences holding each year. In addition, parents also spent more time participating in drug treatment programs, with 73% of them completing treatment, compared with 44% of the parents who did not receive court follow-up [1].
The study had a quasi-experimental design with a treatment group (n = 331) comprising 33% male and 93% white, 3% Latino, and 2% African American members, with an average age of 28 years. The comparison group (n = 349) consisted of 38% male and 93% white, 4% Latino, and 2% African American individuals, with an average age of 27 years [1].