Book review: Drug Courts and the Criminal Justice System
| Author | Tracey Price |
| Published date | 01 July 2021 |
| Date | 01 July 2021 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/1748895820911797 |
| Subject Matter | Book reviews |
Book reviews 429
References
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D Koetzle and SJ Listwan (eds), Drug Courts and the Criminal Justice System, Lynne Rienner:
Boulder, CO, 2018; 1–227 pp.: 978-1-62637-697-7.
Reviewed by: Tracey Price, University of Stirling, UK
DOI: 10.1177/1748895820911797
This book emerges at a time when the effectiveness of criminal justice interventions for
treating drug-related offending is increasingly subject to research and debate. Drug
courts have grown in popularity since their inception in 1989 as an alternative to tradi-
tional sentencing methods, diverting people toward multi-professional interventions to
treat drug-related needs alongside a range of sanctions and rewards. In this edited collec-
tion, Drug Courts and the Criminal Justice System, Koetzle and Listwan bring together
a wide range of empirical evidence and theoretical perspectives, making a useful contri-
bution to the literature. The editors and authors offer a detailed examination of drug court
dynamics, illuminating component parts, relationships, therapeutic approaches, and
evaluation frameworks.
In the opening chapter, Koetzle and Listwan assert that while some drug courts remain
true to the original model, others have become diluted; leading to variation in practice
across contexts. The aim of the book is to create a practical evaluative framework that
can standardize drug court practice. While some of the book’s chapters introduce con-
cepts, others deconstruct the concepts themselves, offering a unique contribution to
knowledge that is likely to be of interest to decision-makers, academics and practitioners
alike. For example, in Chapter 3, Senjo introduces the theoretical premise of therapeutic
jurisprudence, highlighting that the relationship between the drug court judge and the
participant is pivotal. By Chapter 6, Marlowe deconstructs this and uses empirical evi-
dence to suggest that how the role is enacted depends upon the character of the court, the
judge’s personality, and the needs of the participant. He explores directive and non-
directive approaches, where judges shift between a symbolic use of power in some cir-
cumstances, and a benevolent parental role in others, thereby oscillating between
authority, power, inspiration, and hope.
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