Examining Contextual Differences in Participant Characteristics and During-Program Occurrences With Drug Court Program Completion

The study purpose was to compare individuals participating in rural and urban drug courts to examine factors associated with program completion. Secondary data (participant assessment; drug court Management Information System) as well as conviction information from a statewide database were examined for a sample of drug court participants (N = 534). Based on multivariate analysis, for rural participants, two variables were significantly associated with increased program completion: age and outpatient treatment. Conversely, for rural participants, the number of felony/misdemeanor convictions before drug court and receiving an incarceration sanction during drug court were associated with program non-completion. For urban participants, gender and age were associated with increased odds of completion, whereas marital status, education, and past 30-day cocaine use were associated with program non-completion. Findings suggest contextual differences in participant characteristics and during-program occurrences, which ultimately influenced program completion. Understanding contextual factors has important implications for program planning and implementation.