Problem Solving Justice in the News

The Queens Tribune is highlighting a book, recently published by the Center for Court Innovations' Center for Courts and the Community and the New York State Unified Court System entitled "Drug Courts: Personal Stories." It is the first collection of narratives to document the remarkable turnaround of New Yorkers who have recovered from addiction after years of law violations and personal tragedies. Read the full article in the Tribune here. To read a collection of success stories from this blog, go here.


And the San Fransisco Chronicle is carrying another editorial supportive of the Community Justice Center there. This caption neatly describes the concept of community justice:

After 18 months of work, a wide coalition of judges, law enforcement officials and social service leaders are proposing a break from the usual. Take suspects arrested for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies - such as shoplifting, car burglaries or small-time drug peddling - to a one-stop court. There, a court commissioner will weigh the case to see if the arrestee is a candidate for detox, supervised housing, health care and even tattoo removal to get a job. If a candidate balks or breaks a promise to seek help, then the case goes back into the conventional court system. The new process is designed to take days, not weeks, as it does now.