Likelihood of Using Drug Courts: Predictions Using Procedural Justice and the Theory of Planned Behavior

Authors

Evelyn M. Maeder, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Richard L. Weiner, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2008

Citation

Published in Behavioral Sciences and the Law 26 (2008), pp 543–553.

DOI: 10.1002/bsl.819

Comments

Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Used by permission.

Abstract

The current research compares two theoretical models borrowed from social psychology (theory of planned behavior and procedural justice) to predict intentions to make use of a drug court. Medicaid-eligible substance users answered a number of questions regarding their intentions to use a drug court in the future, including items from planned behavior and procedural justice scales. When procedural justice was considered alone, only trustworthiness predicted intention to use drug courts. When planned behavior was considered alone, only deliberative attitudes predicted the intention. After combining the two models, deliberative attitudes from the theory of planned behavior were the only significant predictor of likelihood to make use of a drug court. Recommendations for future study of this area center on conceptualization of procedural justice and the use of alternative samples.