A court given responsibility to handle cases involving substance-abusing offenders through comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services, and immediate sanctions and incentives. Drug court offers individuals facing criminal charges for drug use and possession an opportunity to enter a substance abuse recovery program in lieu of serving straight jail time. The first drug court in the United States took shape in Miami–Dade County, Florida, in 1989 as a response to the growing crack cocaine problem plaguing the city.