The Dublin Drug Treatment Court has provided an alternative to custody for people whose offending is driven by drug dependency since 2001, offering a route into treatment, education and recovery in place of a criminal sentence.
Commissioned by the Department of Justice under Strategic Implementation Group 5 of Ireland's National Drugs Strategy, this evaluation examines how the Dublin Drug Treatment Court operates in practice and how well it aligns with the international evidence on effective drug courts, drawing on a theory of change, interviews with 20 practitioners and stakeholders, engagement with six participants and graduates, and structured court observations. It sets out recommendations for clarifying the court's aims, strengthening its delivery structure, expanding referrals, embedding harm reduction and integrated treatment pathways, and building a robust monitoring framework, to help the Dublin Drug Treatment Court realise its potential as part of Ireland's shift towards a health-led response to drug-related offending.