New Jersey's Drug Court Project*

Abstract

Interpreted time series analysis was used, in this program evaluation, to assess and measure the impact of a special drug court program in New Jersey insofar as the program's ability to impact upon serious court backlogs and on case processing delay. Monthly data was analyzed using ARIMA time series methodology over a six year time span, from 1985 through 1990. New Jersey's criminal justice systen responded to the rapid increase of narcotics violation arrests at the beginning of 1988 and subsequent backlogs in the courts by implementing special trial teams designed to reduce post-indictment case backlogs.