Blog from the Justice Programs Office
This week in the news: Read about the bill to prohibit ‘prison gerrymandering’ and increase Census Bureau accuracy, North Carolina’s move to better an individual’s accessibility to record expungement, a study that looks at court reporters’ accuracy when it comes to African American English, reform in Oregon’s ‘historic’ juvenile justice system, and more.
Last week, in partnership with the National Association for Court Management and supported by the State Justice Institute, the Justice Programs Office, Right to Counsel team held a meeting with judges and court administrators on how to enhance caseflow management to ensure effective assistance of counsel. I was excited to convene this passionate group of court leaders and hear what they had to say on the topics of caseflow management and effective assistance of counsel, yet was unsure how the conversation would go. I wasn’t completely convinced that enough people would find enough to talk about and stay engaged in over the two days, or if everyone would buy into this exploration of the tension between processing cases quickly while simultaneously allowing for and encouraging effective assistance of counsel. Well, let me tell you—I was proved wrong—the sustained energy, thoughtfulness, and critical thinking that manifested during the meeting and extended into an evening reception was beyond my highest expectations.
Continue reading “Reflecting on Managing Caseflow While Ensuring Effective Counsel”
This week in the news: Read the new Pew Research Center study on racial disparities in the justice system, the patriarchy of prison systems today, especially for young, black females, the new legislation for justice system reform announced this week calling for “radical change,” and more.
This week in the news: Read about the increasing populations of women in prison, the justice reform said to protect those who confront hunger and poverty upon reentry, a blueprint designed to help policymakers combat a mass incarceration, public defense for migrants and refugees, and more.
Almost seven years ago, New York Times columnist Allina Tugend wrote an insightful column on redefining success, quoting author Katrina Kenison: “There’s a beauty in cultivating an appreciation for what we already have.” This National Drug Court Month, I wanted to congratulate all Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (JDTC) practitioners on your tireless work and encourage you to cultivate an appreciation of what you have accomplished; to think beyond the traditional measures of success, specifically the expectation we place on our participants to graduate.
Almost every time I travel to work with a JDTC, I end up telling this same story. It’s not even my own, it’s Dr. Jaqueline Van Wormer’s, but it’s a good one, so I’m going to share it with you:
Continue reading “Building Blocks to Success – Celebrating Achievements in Your Drug Court”
This week in the news: Read about leading states and candidates in justice system reform, the racial disparities recently unveiled within opioid addiction treatment, several legislative updates on public defense and education after reentry, and more.
On recent visits to three drug courts in three different states, the concept of moving away from a traditional cookie-cutter approach to treatment for participants came up. In several conversations, drug court teams discussed the idea of working with participants to identify and better understand their unique needs. From that inquiry and conversation, drug court teams could develop a treatment plan tailored to the participant’s unique individual history, circumstances, and needs.
This week in the news: Read about the presidential candidates’ debates over voting rights for individuals who are incarcerated, the unexpected surge of a possible meth crisis, problem-solving courts in Indiana, and more.