Drug courts depart from traditional criminal justice practice by directing nonviolent drug abusing offenders to intensive court-supervised drug treatment instead of to prison. An examination of drug courts is offered in this booklet. The text is based on extensive interviews with judges, prosecutors, public defenders, court administrators, police officers, treatment providers, researchers, drug court participants, justice management consultants, and Department of Justice personnel. On-site interviews were conducted at 10 drug courts in 9 states; officials in more than half of the 300 drug courts either in operation or being planned across the country were interviewed. The cycles of drug and crime and the resultant prison overcrowding are examined. The development of drug courts is then explored and a profile of drug courts is offered. Included in this section are plea models, post-adjudication models, women's drug courts, funding, and training. Drug court outcomes are also discussed, as are issues surrounding juvenile drug courts. The last section looks at the impact of drug courts and discusses ways to prevent relapse, to stimulate public support, some professional perspectives, and ways to expand the current system. An appendix lists drug courts by city and state and includes phone numbers. (RJM)