Problem-solving courts offer a non-traditional approach to integrating treatment provision and criminal legal case processing. These courts rely on close collaboration by multidisciplinary teams, including members from the judicial and treatment communities, to provide both accountability and treatment and services to offenders to reduce substance use and recidivism. Problem solving courts have become an important part of the criminal justice landscape and the National Drug Court Resource Center estimates there are more than 3,800 problem solving courts across all 50 states.
As of May 2023, there are 66 problem-solving courts in operation in 20 judicial districts in the State of Colorado. Available problem solving court programs include:
- Adult Drug Courts
Adult Drug Courts are specialized court dockets that are specifically for adults with substance use disorders. Rather than receiving a jail sentence, these programs offer participants the opportunity to receive individualized long-term substance use treatment. In addition to treatment, participants can receive full-team support around education, housing, and job assistance. Adult Drug Courts are cost-effective, reduce recidivism, and create healthier communities.
- Juvenile Drug Courts
Juvenile Drug Court is defined as a drug court that focuses on juvenile delinquency matters that involve substance-abusing juveniles. Juvenile drug courts differ from adult drug court in that parents are involved in court proceedings and treatment is centered around the family while holding both the juvenile and parent(s) accountable to the court.
- DUI Courts
DUI Courts are dedicated to changing the behavior of the alcohol/drug dependant offenders arrested for Driving Under the Influence (DUI). The goal of DUI court is to protect public safety by using the drug court model to address the root cause of impaired driving, alcohol and other substance abuse.
- Adult and Juvenile Mental Health Courts
Mental Health Court is a specialized court that seeks to craft a meaningful response to the problems posed by defendants with co-occurring substance use and mental illness in the criminal justice system. The Court aims to improve the court system’s ability to identify, assess, evaluate and monitor offenders with mental illness, create effective linkages between the criminal justice and mental health systems, and improve public safety by ensuring that participants receive high quality community-based services.
- Family and Dependency/Neglect Courts
Family Drug Court programs focus on treatment for parents struggling with substance use. The programs serve families whose parental substance use is a contributing factor in children being removed from the home due to abuse or neglect. Although the parent is the participant, the focus on the best interest of the child(ren) is paramount. Family Drug Court promotes the safety and well-being of children by supporting the recovery of parents from alcohol use disorder and substance use disorder through enhanced access to comprehensive treatment services and increased accountability to the court.
- Veteran’s Treatment Courts
Veterans Courts are a type of problem-solving court designed to serve justice-involved military and former-military members with substance use and mental health needs through intensive supervision and treatment to increase the likelihood for successful community reintegration.