| Juvenile drug use has become a substantial problem in Louisiana. According to the 2006--2007 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data, 36,000, or 10% of Louisiana youths reported using an illicit substance in the past month. According to the National Center for Juvenile Justice Louisiana Models for Change Initiative, there were 48,700 juvenile arrests in the state of Louisiana in 2003, which accounted for 15% of all arrests in the state. Juvenile drug arrests in the state of Louisiana increased 40% in the 10 year period from 1994 to 2003, while the overall juvenile arrest rate in Louisiana increased by 7%. The Louisiana Judiciary established "juvenile drug courts" in response to the juvenile drug problem. Data were collected from the 18 juvenile drug courts in Louisiana and subjected to binary logistic regression analysis to assess the effect on recidivism. Results indicate that drug court participation significantly reduces recidivism when compared to non-drug court participation. |
