Court Responses to Individuals in Need of Services: Promising Components of a Service Coordination Strategy for Courts

• NCJ Number: 197079
• Author(s): Pamela Casey; William E. Hewitt
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 66 pages
• Grant Number(s): 94-MU-CX-0004
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Corporate Author: National Ctr for State Courts
• Sale Source: National Ctr for State Courts
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

"Problem-solving courts" are experimenting with a variety of innovative programs that focus on closer collaboration with the service communities in their jurisdictions to meet the various needs of those who come before the courts; in exploring the work of these courts, this report identifies features of the problem-solving approach that may be adapted by courts to help improve service coordination.

Abstract

"Problem-solving courts" typically address cases of domestic violence, drug abuse, family matters, mental illness, quality-of-life crimes such as prostitution, etc. These courts and specialized calendars emphasize the importance of links to medical, social service, and treatment providers and generally involve special procedures and alternative sentencing options to promote effective case outcomes. Although subject matter jurisdiction varies across the courts, they all have service coordination as a core feature of their operation, and service coordination begins early in the process. One chapter of this report explores service-related issues in the context of the Trial Court Performance Standards. The Trial Court Performance standards identify five fundamental responsibilities of trial courts: access to justice; expedition and timeliness; equality, fairness, and integrity; independence and accountability; and public trust and confidence. Key service coordination questions related to each of these court performance goals are suggested in this chapter. Another chapter provides an overview of the problem-solving approach and briefly describes several examples of courts that fit the rubric. Then a chapter suggests nine promising components of an effective service coordination strategy based on a problem-solving approach. These are acknowledged court role in service coordination, judicial and court leadership, an active policy committee of stakeholder, case-level service coordinators, centralized access to service network, active court monitoring of compliance with orders, routine collection and use of data, creative use of resources, and training and education related to service coordination. 56 references and appended resolution on problem-solving courts adopted by the Conference of Chief Justice and the Conference of State Court Administrators and a debate about court involvement in service-related issues