Social Recovery, Social Capital, and Drug Courts

Miriam W. Boeri, Kennesaw State University
Aukje K. Lamonica, University of Scranton
Liam Harbry, University of Scranton

Abstract

The Social Recovery Initiative (SRI) is an innovative initiative based on social capital theoretical concepts. Adding the SRI component to the drug court model not only provided participants with experience in new social activities but also increased their awareness of and connection to the broader society. By connecting the participants to a wide array of social events and activities during a highly supervised drug court treatment program, we addressed the need for greater attention to the social aspects of the individual and relationships before s/he returns to society without court supervision. As we shift from less incarceration to more treatment, we suggest the need also to shift our focus from addressing individual problems to addressing social relations.