The Effectiveness of Idaho DUI and Misdemeanor/DUI Courts: Outcome Evaluation

As DUI Courts continue to expand through the United States, research needs to match the growth to inform administrators and the public on the effectiveness of these courts. The current study found that participation in a DUI or Misdemeanor/DUI Drug Court (23%) reduced recidivism compared to a comparison group (37%) with court filing records that resulted in a disposition of guilty. The current study measured multiple court sites and analyzed recidivism over a 4.5 year time frame, and through the use of a Cox Proportional Hazard model it was identified that those not in the DUI court group were 1.6 times more likely to recidivate. The authors discuss the limitations and results in their efforts to increase the research on this ever expanding criminal justice practice.