? ? The number of juvenile drug courts (JDCs) is increasing every year. Despite their growing popularity there is limited research on these programs. Although studies suggest that successfully completing JDC is associated with lower levels of substance use and illegal behavior, the rates of program completion are generally below 50%. To date, studies have not examined what may account for these low JDC completion rates. The proposed exploratory study will use quantitative interviews administered at program entry to assess how pre-treatment client characteristics (e.g., motivation, coping skills, and psychiatric co-morbidity) relate to JDC completion rates. Qualitative interviews focusing on youths' satisfaction with services received while in JDC will be conducted to determine how program variables (e.g., types and amounts of services received, relationship with counselor) relate to rates of JDC completion. This interview will be completed within two weeks of a youth being revoked, choosing to leave, or graduating from JDC. The interaction of client and program variables on rates of completion will also be examined. A minimum of 150 youth attending JDC will be interviewed for this study. Results will provide information that JDCs and substance abuse treatment providers can use to enhance rates of program completion. A more complete understanding of why more than half of youth entering JDC fail the program is essential for establishing a conceptual framework of how and why JDCs work and maximizing the positive impact of the program on substance use and illegal behavior. ? ?
