A Parental Burden or Turning Point? How Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Parenthood Shape Drug Court Participation

This study examines how race/ethnicity, gender, and parenthood impact drug court participation decisions and whether parenthood status effects differ across racial/ethnic and gender groups. While prior research documents stark racial and gender disparities in drug court participation, little sociological and criminological work has examined their causes and consequences, particularly how parenting responsibilities shape participation decisions for Black, White, and Hispanic men and women. Using 22,097 Ohio Supreme Court referral records from 2019 to 2023, we combine life course, organizational, and critical legal theories to investigate whether referrals act as a turning point that incentivizes drug court participation or merely a burden. Multilevel logistic regression models indicate no significant differences by race/ethnicity and gender in dropping out of the referral screening process or opting out of drug court once accepted. Parents, however, had lower odds of opting out and leaving the process incomplete. Notably, parenthood moderated the association between race/ethnicity and gender and opting out of drug court, suggesting that referrals operate as a parental turning point, particularly for Black mothers. This study contributes to research on inequalities in drug courts by focusing on individuals who do not participate or follow through once referred. Results have implications for public health interventions targeting mothers of color with substance use disorders and criminal legal system entanglements.