Emerging adults in drug treatment court: program behavior, program completion, & recidivism

ABSTRACT We compared emerging adults with older adults who were admitted to the Drug Treatment Court (DTC) in a large Midwestern county. Emerging adults were more likely to be lower risk and to be opioid/heroin users. Compared to older adults, emerging adults were more likely to have increased violations in the DTC program. Emerging adults compared to older adults were more likely to be terminated than to graduate with no recidivism (odds ratio 1.83), and more likely to recidivate after they graduated (odds ratio 2.16). Elevated risks for program termination and recidivism for emerging adults, despite a reduced risk profile at entry, underscore the need for program modifications (such as peer support) that specifically target this age group.