Pennsylvania Treatment Courts: Process, Outcome, and Cost Evaluation

Research Questions:

Are Pennsylvania’s treatment courts maintaining fidelity to the drug court model?
Does the demographic profile of treatment courts in Pennsylvania match the target population? Are there any racial or other disparities evident?
What are the short-term outcomes in Pennsylvania’s treatment courts?
What is the impact of Pennsylvania’s treatment courts on recidivism and recidivism-related costs? What are the resources and costs invested in Pennsylvania’s treatment courts?

Project Design:

NPC Research is conducting a statewide process, outcome, and cost evaluation of four types of treatment courts in Pennsylvania: veterans’ courts, adult drug courts, mental health courts, and DUI courts. Ninety-one courts responded to an online assessment and provided information about their program structure and operations. For the outcome and cost evaluations, eight focus sites from across the state have been selected based on geographic diversity, sample size and number of graduates, sufficient adherence to best practices, and complete program data, among other factors. A combination of statewide and county level data will be used to measure outcomes including recidivism for treatment court participants and comparison group members.

Funding Source: The Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts has contracted with NPC Research using funds from a BJA expansion and enhancement grant.

Start Date: January 2017