A Statistical Perspective on the Design of Drug-Court Studies

Elizabeth L. C. Merrall and Sheila M. Bird
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Elizabeth L. C. Merrall: MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Elizabeth.merrall@mrc-bsu.cam.ac.uk
Sheila M. Bird: MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, United kingdom Strathclyde University, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Evaluation Review, 2009, vol. 33, issue 3, pages 257-280

Abstract: Recent meta-analyses of drug-court studies recognized the poor methodological quality of the evaluations, with only a few being randomized. This article critiques the design of the randomized studies from a statistical perspective. Learning points are identified for future drug-court studies and are applicable to evaluations both of other specialist courts and of court-based interventions more generally. The specific issues covered are randomization, describing the intervention, and baseline characteristics; study outcomes, and sample size calculations; in-program and postprogram behavior, analysis plan, and presentation of results.

Keywords: drug-courts; study design; statistical; randomization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:evarev:v:33:y:2009:i:3:p:257-280

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