Federal funding for drug court programs has also continued to increase. As a result, DOJ cannot provide Congress, drug  court program stakeholders, and others with reliable information on the  performance and impact of federally funded drug court programs. These factors included (1) inability of DOJ to readily  identify the universe of DCPO-funded drug court programs, including those  subject to DCPO’s data collection reporting requirements; (2) inability of  DOJ to accurately determine the number of drug court programs that  responded to DCPO’s semiannual data collection survey; (3) inefficiencies  in the administration of DCPO’s semiannual data collection effort; (4) the  elimination of post-program impact questions from the scope of DCPO’s  data collection survey effort; and (5) the insufficient use of the Drug Court  Clearinghouse. However, various  administrative and research factors hampered DOJ’s ability to complete the  NIJ-sponsored national impact evaluation, which was originally to be  completed by June 30, 2001. This effort was to be undertaken in two phases and to include the  collection of post-program outcome data. Conclusions

Despite a significant increase in the number of drug court programs funded  by DCPO since 1997 that are required to collect and maintain performance  and outcome data, DOJ continues to lack vital information on the overall  impact of federally funded drug court programs.
What GAO Found

In exchange for the possibility of dismissed charges or reduced sentences, defendants with substance abuse problems agree to be assigned to drug court programs. In drug courts, judges generally preside over the proceedings; monitor the progress of defendants; and prescribe sanctions and rewards in collaboration with prosecutors, defense attorneys, and treatment providers. Most decisions about drug court operations are left to local jurisdictions. Although programs funded by the Drug Court Program Office (DCPO) must collect and provide performance measurement and outcome data, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has not effectively managed this effort because of (1) its inability to readily identify the universe of DCPO-funded drug court programs, including those subject to DCPO's data collection reporting requirements; (2) its inability to accurately determine the number of drug court programs responding to DCPO's semiannual data collection survey; (3) inefficiencies in the administration of DCPO's semiannual data collection effort; (4) the elimination of post-program impact questions from the data collection survey effort; and (5) the lack of use of the Drug Court Clearinghouse. Various administrative and research factors have also hampered DOJ's ability to complete the two-phase National Institute of Justice-sponsored national impact evaluation study. As a result, DOJ continues to lack vital information needed to determine the overall impact of federally funded programs and to assess whether drug court programs use federal funds effectively.