Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor at Yale Law School, presents on "Procedural Justice: The Secret Ingredient?" at Community Justice 2014.
Drug courts are the oldest, most prolific, and most studied of the major alternative court models, which also include domestic violence, mental health, community, and reentry courts. What distinguishes drug courts is their focus on cases involving an underlying drug addiction. This article, authored by a Center for Court Innovation researcher and published in the Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Eds. Gerben Bruinsma and David Weisburd, 2014, pp.
A community court, often called a neighborhood or community justice center, is a neighborhood-focused court that applies a problem-solving approach to local crime and safety concerns. This article, authored by a Center for Court Innovation researcher and published in the Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Eds. Gerben Bruinsma and David Weisburd, 2014, pp. 408-416), provides an accessible overview of the community court model, relevant research, and related controversies.
Miguel Samper Strouss, the vice-minister of criminal policy and restorative justice in the Colombian Ministry of Justice and Law, discusses the challenge of returning law and order--and trust in justice and government--to the rural regions of his country that have been devastated by 50 years of guerrilla fighting. (June 2014)
Timothy C. Evans, chief judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County in Illinois, explains how courts can help mitigate the collateral consequences of justice system involvement. Among other things, courts can reach out to those affected to educate them about their rights and options, Evans says in this New Thinking podcast.
This fact sheet distills a growing body of research about evidence-based strategies in five areas for reducing recidivism among criminal offenders: assessment, treatment, deterrence, procedural justice, and collaboration.
In this New Thinking podcast, Tracey L. Meares, the Walton Hale Hamilton Professor at Yale Law School, outlines the four components of procedural justice and their power to enhance perceptions of government legitimacy. She also discusses how procedural justice is incorporated into Chicago Offender Notification Forums, an anti-violence intervention that she helped design. (June 2014)
Professor Tom Tyler of Yale Law School and Chief Judge Jeffrey Kremers from Milwaukee introduce the concept of procedural justice and discuss how improved perceptions of fairness can yield significant benefits, including improved compliance with court orders, reduced recidivism, and improved public trust in justice.
Denise O'Donnell, director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance, discusses the Bureau's strategic mission and holistic approach to justice reform. She also outlines the Bureau's new suite of Smart on Crime programs.
This is an evaluation of a pilot project at the Milwaukee County Criminal Court intended to enhance defendant perceptions of procedural justice by improving the oral, written, and nonverbal communication used by judges. Courtroom observations measured an increase in the use of 14 practices inculding eye contact with defendants and the use of plain English to explain procedures and decisions.
