Today, there are literally thousands of problem-solving courts that are testing new approaches to difficult cases where social, human and legal problems intersect. These include community courts that seek to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods struggling with crime and disorder; drug treatment courts that link addicted offenders to drug treatment instead of incarceration; family treatment courts that seek to stop the cycle of drugs, child neglect, and foster care; and domestic violence courts that emphasize victim safety and defendant accountability. For all of their diversity, these emerging court models share some unifying principles—starting with their problem-solving orientation.
As problem-solving innovation becomes more integrated into the way courts do business, academics are beginning to write about and offer courses examining problem-solving principles and practices. Academia section for a selection of academic resources.
Buffalo's C.O.U.R.T.S. (Court Outreach Unit: Referral and Treatment Services) Program
For courts with limited resources that are interested in problem-solving, Buffalo (N.Y.) City Court offers an intriguing model. With no extra funds, in 1995 the court began to identify defendants’ social problems and link them to needed services. Today, Buffalo’s innovative C.O.U.R.T.S. (Court Outreach Unit: Referral and Treatment Services) program links together more than 130 community-based providers and makes more than 6,000 referrals a year.
The Center for Court Innovation provides training and technical assistance on problem-solving principles and practices, and has developed innovative technology applications that can be used to improve case processing.
Breaking with Tradition: Introducing Problem Solving in Conventional Courts by Robert V. Wolf An overview of why problem solving strategies are desirable and techniques practitioners can deploy to introduce these strategies in conventional courtrooms. download PDF version
