National Association of Drug Court Professionals

National Association of Drug Court Professionals

Abbreviation	NADCP
Formation	1994
Type	Nonprofit organization
Legal status	Corporation
Purpose	To champion proven strategies within the judicial system that empower drug-using people to change their lives.
Headquarters	Alexandria, Virginia
Region served	United States of America
Membership	2,663 drug courts 1,219 problem solving courts 25,000+ individuals
Official language	English
CEO	Carson Fox
Main organ	All Rise magazine
Website	www.nadcp.org

The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit drug court organization. Their stated mission is "To champion proven strategies within the judicial system that empower drug-using people to change their lives."Auburn University's Kathleen Hale described the NADCP in her 2011 book, How Information Matters, as "the best among extraordinary organizations; whose structure, initiatives, strategies, and planning define excellence in the non-profit world".

NADCP is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia and was established in 1994 by the leaders of the first dozen Drug Courts in the United States. Jeffrey Tauber served as the first President, and is still on the board of directors as President Emeritus for Life. In 1995, Assistant Attorney General Laurie Robinson headed the Office of Justice Programs, and after talking to Judge Tauber, agreed to fund a set of standards for drug courts. That financial support was enough for the NADCP to develop "Defining Drug Courts: The Ten Key Components" and firmly establish the organization.

As of 2012, the organization has more than 25,000 members working in 2,663 Drug Courts and 1,219 problem-solving courts, including Domestic Violence, Mental Health, Community and DWI. Members include private criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, prosecutors, probation and parole agents, judges, law enforcement officers, case managers, CPS case workers, therapists, treatment professionals, court administrators and research scientists. The association is governed by a 29-member board of directors, chaired by Judge Ruben Reyes from Texas.

Following the March 25, 2011 broadcast of the episode "Very Tough Love" on the radio show This American Life, the NADCP Board of Directors issued a statement in response to the disturbing events reported in the program. They reiterated the contention made by Ira Glass that the Glynn County Drug Court is "run differently than any other Drug Court in the Country". They further stated that 6% of U.S. Drug Courts "have watered down or dropped core ingredients of the Drug Court model, or apply inappropriate practices in contraindication to accepted teachings in the field. And they have paid dearly for it in terms of lower cost savings, lower graduation rates, higher recidivism rates, and a reputation for unfairness and ineffectiveness".