The logic for coerced treatment is that substance abusers have limited internal motivation and consequently need to be externally motivated to enter treatment in order to change their behaviors. Expected change includes reduced arrests, reduced crime, and no drug use. It is important to keep in mind that, from a criminal justice point of view, no drug use is expected, which is different from a public health harm reduction approach. Consequently, substance offenders who have limited internal motivation to change their behaviors are externally motivated to enter treatment using the authority of the criminal justice system. This authority includes probation, parole, diversion, and drug courts, which can include incentives for substance offenders like reduced sentences or decreased time under criminal justice supervision.

Coerced substance-abuse treatment has a traditional relationship with community treatment. The history of drug-abuse treatment in the United...