Abstract
Throughout the United States during the past few decades, there have been problems with the use of drugs. There has and always have been issues with drug addiction and drug crimes in terms of how to address those problems. From the harsh consequences of the Rockefeller Drug laws in 1973 to the establishment of the first drug court in 1989, there have been reforms to the drug laws to reduce the severity for punishments of drug offenses. The first drug court in the United States was established in Miami, Florida before spreading throughout the United States. The first drug court in New York was established in Rochester. There are new perspectives of the drug problem as people need rehabilitation rather than only punishment. The cycle of drug offenders going into and out of prison does not solve the drug problem. The growth of drug courts throughout the United States gave individuals the chance to improve their quality of life. There are common proceedings amongst the drug courts. Drug courts in the state of New York have shown to be effective.
Publication Date
12-14-2022
Document Type
Master's Project
Student Type
Graduate
Degree Name
Criminal Justice (MS)
Department, Program, or Center
Department of Criminal Justice (CLA)
Advisor
Jason Scott
Recommended Citation
Blick, Diana, "Addressing the Drug Problem: The Establishment of Drug Courts and Evaluating their Effectiveness" (2022). Thesis. Rochester Institute of Technology. Accessed from
https://repository.rit.edu/theses/11528
Campus
RIT – Main Campus
