Juvenile Drug Courts - There ARE Practice Guidelines

Some of you may have heard this disturbing account of a drug court in Glynn County, Georiga, aired recently on "This American Life."
Usually, a drug court may take a year, possible two years, to complete.  For 24-year-old Lindsey Dills, who was 18 when she entered the Glynn County juvenile drug court, she won't be done with it until 10-1/2 years later, counting time behind bars and probation. 
Now, the show makes it clear that this particular Georgia drug court is commonly thought to be run counter to generally-accepted principles of drug court.
But I thought it would be a good time to mention the so-called :"16 strategies" for juvenile drug courts.  (Follow the link for a monograph from the Department of Justice, explaining the details.)
Here they are:

• Strategy 1: Collaborative Planning
• Strategy 2: Teamwork
• Strategy 3: Clearly Defined Target Population and Eligibility Criteria
• Strategy 4: Judicial Involvement and Supervision
• Strategy 5: Monitoring and Evaluation
• Strategy 6: Community Partnerships
• Strategy 7: Comprehensive Treatment Planning
• Strategy 8: Developmentally Appropriate Services
• Strategy 9: Gender-Appropriate Services
• Strategy 10: Cultural Competence
• Strategy 11: Focus on Strengths
• Strategy 12: Family Engagement Strategy 13: Educational Linkages
• Strategy 14: Drug Testing
• Strategy 15: Goal-Oriented Incentives and Sanctions
• Strategy 16: Confidentiality

Related Post: What Works in Juvenile Drug Courts: Emerging Research.