Download this week’s episode on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify or via RSS feed, and watch the video version on Police1’s YouTube channel.
After years of climbing overdose deaths, some jurisdictions are finally seeing declines. But fewer fatalities don’t answer a frontline question: what actually works to cut crime tied to addiction? In this episode of the Policing Matters podcast, host Jim Dudley goes beyond slogans and harm-reduction headlines to examine drug courts — intensive, accountability-driven programs that pair frequent testing, treatment and judicial oversight — and what separates effective models from window dressing.
Joining him is John R. Gallagher, PhD, LCSW, LCAC, an associate professor of criminal justice at Alvernia University and a licensed clinical social worker with more than 25 years of experience in addiction and mental health counseling. Having worked inside county jails and with probationers and parolees, Gallagher has seen firsthand how untreated addiction drives recidivism — and how properly structured treatment courts can turn that cycle around. As a researcher trained in Moral Reconation Therapy, he shares data and field-tested insights on what makes drug courts work, where they fail and how they can balance accountability, rehabilitation and public safety.
Tune in to discover
- What really separates true drug courts from “probation as usual” — and why the 10 key components matter.
- How HAP — honesty, accountability and plan — guides responses to positive tests without defaulting to jail.
- The role of Moral Reconation Therapy in changing criminal thinking, not just substance use.
- Why tight gatekeeping, rapid treatment starts and employer partnerships boost completion and cut recidivism.
- When in-custody detox or short residential care is essential — and how to hand off safely to community treatment.
Key takeaways from this episode
Addiction and crime are deeply intertwined. Gallagher puts the share of justice-involved individuals with a substance use disorder at roughly 60%–80%, and closer to 80% when including offenders under the influence at the time of the crime. Treating addiction is inseparable from public safety.
Drug courts work when they follow the model. Effective courts adhere to the 10 key components: random testing two to three times weekly, frequent judicial status hearings early on, required counseling and ongoing program evaluation. Where courts replicate “probation as usual,” results fade.
Accountability is immediate and clinical, not reflexively punitive. Responses to positive tests hinge on HAP — honesty, accountability and a plan. Transparent admission and a concrete recovery plan may mean tighter monitoring and treatment adjustments, not automatic jail. Dishonesty signals higher risk and can justify custody.
Treat criminal thinking alongside addiction. Programs that add cognitive-behavioral work like Moral Reconation Therapy outperform those offering only relapse prevention. Target the right population — high criminal risk and high clinical need — and use trained gatekeepers to keep drug dealers or low-risk offenders out.
Pair swift engagement with real pathways to stability. Models like Arizona’s COPE move people from arrest into treatment within 48 hours under intensive supervision. Long-term success correlates strongly with education and employment, so bring employers and schools to the table. Maintain the capacity for in-custody detox or short-term residential care when outpatient beds aren’t available, then hand off directly to community treatment.
About our sponsor
This episode of the Policing Matters podcast is brought to you by LVT, the mobile surveillance solution trusted by public-sector leaders nationwide. LVT’s solar-powered mobile surveillance units put eyes and AI analytics where fixed cameras can’t — parking lots, remote borders, disaster zones, and large events. Agencies using LVT have seen up to an 83% drop in parking-lot incidents and a 54% reduction in burglaries. Each unit is rapid to deploy, cloud-connected via cellular or satellite, and secured end-to-end so your team can monitor and respond in real time with fewer resources. See how LVT’s self-powered units protect communities, secure critical infrastructure and support law-enforcement operations and schedule a free trial today at LVT.com.
Rate and review the Policing Matters podcast
Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Contact the Policing Matters team at policingmatters@police1.com to share ideas, suggestions and feedback.