Denial and adversity in a juvenile drug court

Abstract In drug treatment courts, denial is a pervasive issue in both the legal procedures of the court and in drug treatment itself. This paper explores the meaning of denial for youth and programme staff in a juvenile drug court (JDC) located in a metropolitan jurisdiction in the U.S. Midwest. Thirty-seven interviews were conducted with juveniles attending the JDC, a judge, defender, prosecutor, probation officers, and treatment counsellors. These interviews raised several issues regarding the use of denial in treatment. For staff, the meaning of denial came to encompass the ambivalence and resistance of non-addicted youths toward the programme and its staff. The primary source for the youths' resistance was based in conflict with staff over definitions of drug abuse and responsible or moderate drug use. The implications of these phenomena are briefly considered in light of insights from the harm reduction perspective.