Drug Courts

Dr. James Lessenger has practiced occupational and environmental medicine for more than two decades in California's San Joaquin Valley. In addition to keeping an active clinical practice, Lessenger is a Medical Review Officer on drug testing for the Department of Transportation and a consultant to many corporations and companies on drug testing, workplace drug issues, and industrial injuries. Dr. Lessenger has been a consultant to the Tulare County drug court since its inception in 1996 and was responsible for an exhaustive review of the system in 2001. Glade F. Roper, JD is the presiding Adult Drug Court judge for rural Tulare County. He started and has maintained the Drug Court since 1996 and has been a jurist in the county since 1989. He created and has taught the Advanced Drug Court Track at the National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse for the last four years and speaks across the nation about rural drug courts and treatment issues.

From the reviews: "This book was penned as a guide to educate those involved about the process and procedures associated in developing and administering an alternative program for the rehabilitation of substance abusers in the legal system. ... this book is meant for 'those who are operating or wishing to create a drug court, physicians who will frequently see people who are drug court clients, judges, prosecutors, treatment providers, defense attorneys, probation officers, case managers and coordinators currently working in a drug court.'" (Steven T. Herron, Doody's Review Service, April, 2008)

• to Drug Courts.- The Disease of Addiction.- The Biologic Basis of Drug and Alcohol Addiction.- The Sociologic Basis of Drug and Alcohol Addiction.- The Physical Consequences of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.- Drugs and Alcohol in Pregnancy and the Affected Children.- The Social Consequences of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.- The Pharmacologic Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Addiction.- Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders.- Counseling Strategies.- Client Life Skills Training.- Self-Help and Mutual Aid Organizations.- Building Supportive Services in Drug Courts.- Drug Testing Methods.- The Drug and Alcohol Testing Process.- Drug Testing Scams.- Analysis of Drug Testing Results.- Juvenile Drug Courts.- Drug Court Organization and Operations.- The Legal Basis for Drug Courts.- Drug Court Funding Options.- Strategies for Administering Rewards and Sanctions.- Roadblocks to Success.- Probation Strategies.- Relapse.- Law Enforcement and Drug Courts.- Record Keeping and Statistics.- Policy Options for the Future.- Case Study of Drug Court Intervention.