JCOIN Research
Use of digital health and digital therapeutics to treat SUD in criminal justice settings: A review
Prosecuting overdose: An exploratory study of prosecutorial motivations for drug-induced homicide prosecutions in North Carolina
Prosecutorial use of drug-induced homicide (DIH) laws varies, and their public health impacts are poorly understood. This mixed-methods study explores associations between the number of DIH charges filed in North Carolina’s 42 prosecutorial districts and district-level characteristics. Survey data suggests that perceived justice for the deceased and perceived imperatives to “do something” about overdose influence…
Read MoreReferral to and engagement in SUD treatment within opioid intervention courts in New York: A qualitative study of implementation barriers and facilitators
People with OUD are frequently in contact with the court system and have markedly higher rates of fatal opioid overdose. Opioid intervention courts (OIC) were developed to address increasing rates of opioid overdose among court defendants by engaging court staff in identification of treatment need and referral for opioid-related services and building collaborations between the…
Read MoreTreatment court staffs’ perceptions in support of the use of virtual services in court post-pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional courthouse operations, resulting in the abrupt and extensive adoption of virtual court proceedings. To date, limited empirical research has evaluated virtual treatment courts. Utilizing a novel national survey administered to 358 treatment court team members, we examine support for and barriers to virtual courts. Tested barriers include (a) access to…
Read MoreVeterans treatment courts: A nationwide review of enacting and eligibility state statutes
Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) is the fastest growing type of treatment court in the United States with over 600 VTCs in operation today. Despite this recent proliferation, minimal scholarship has been conducted investigating how the state-level statutory landscape influences VTCs. The current study begins to address this gap by comprehensively reviewing and analyzing state legislation…
Read MoreSituation normal all forces united in veterans court: From the perspective of a California court of appeal justice and mentor
This article by a California Court of Appeal justice presents her perspectives and experiences in a Veterans Treatment Court (VTC). She volunteered as a mentor in a Veterans Treatment Court every week for nine years. From her unique perspective, she compares what happens in a VTC with what goes on in a typical criminal court.…
Read MoreNo veteran left behind? Perspectives on VTC eligibility criteria for justice-involved veterans in multiple jurisdictions across the united states
The explosive growth of veterans treatment courts (VTCs) in the United States has raised questions concerning which justice-involved veterans (JIV) are eligible and ultimately selected for participation. For instance, should VTCs be more inclusive in their selection processes, and is it possible to do so within existing court parameters? Using data from 145 interviews of…
Read MoreNew research on veterans treatment courts: An overview of the community participatory research on veterans in specialized programming project
Justice-involved veterans return to civilian life with a variety of mental and physical health challenges that often go untreated and increase their risk for self-harm and involvement in the criminal-legal system. Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) were created to respond to the unique problems of justice-involved veterans by attempting to coordinate services and support with the…
Read More“God, I hope it doesn’t fade out”: Team member perspectives on the future of veterans treatment courts
Despite their rapid spread over the last 15 years, little research has explored the perceptions of Veterans Treatment Courts (VTCs) team members regarding the viability and longevity of VTCs. The present qualitative study explores the perceptions of 145 VTC team members from 20 VTCs around the United States regarding the future of their own VTC…
Read MoreAt risk and underserved: Veterans treatment court team member perspectives on service delivery challenges
As Veterans Treatment Courts (VTC) proliferate across the United States, questions have been raised about their capacity to provide critical services and support for justice-involved veterans. The current study examines the key decisions made by core VTC team members as justice-involved veterans move through each stage in the VTC process. This study presents in-depth interviews…
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