Суды над наркоманами - правонарушителями как альтернатива наказанию лишением свабоды

In the article the author introduces one kind of specialized courts, which are popular and spreading especially in the USA. The author discusses their aims, principles of activity, their effectiveness in fighting with drug addicts making crimes because of their bad habit and their meaning for decreasing the level of criminality. The author decided to analyze drug courts because today it is one of the most successful institutions for fighting criminals - drug addicts' problems. In the year 2000 institutions of United Nations created project law for introduction of drug courts in civil law countries. In revealing the principles of drug courts the author discusses the possibilities to enact such institution in Lithuania and gives concrete proposal how to establish them in practice.