Revised Paper Survey

Census of Problem-Solving Courts

The National Center for State Courts, on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, is conducting a National Census of Problem-Solving Courts. The information you provide in this survey will help to establish an accurate picture of Problem-Solving Courts nationwide--including how many exist, who they serve, and program characteristics--that does not currently exist.

Thank you for participating in the Census of Problem-Solving Courts. Should questions arise while you are completing the survey,

please call 800-616-6109 or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The estimated average time to complete the form is 30 minutes. If you have comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions to simplify this form, write to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, 810 7th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20531. OMB NO. XXXX-XXXX Exp XX/XX/XXXX

Census of Problem-Solving Courts

Respondent Information

State/territory: ______________________________________________________

1. Identify the SINGLE category label that best describes your Problem-Solving Court.

Drug			Community Issues			Youth
	(General) Drug			Community			(General) Youth
	Adult Drug			Gun			Teen
	Juvenile Drug			Prostitution			Girls
	Tribal Drug			Gambling			Boys
	DWI/DUI			Homeless			Truancy
	Campus Drug
Co-Occurring			Reentry			Veterans
		Co-occurring disorders			(General) Reentry		(General) Veterans
					Reentry Drug		Veterans Drug Treatment
					Parole Violation		Veterans Mental Health Treatment
Mental Health			Domestic Relations			Other
		Mental Health			Domestic Violence		(General) Treatment
		Juvenile Mental Health			Integrated Domestic Violence		(General) Problem-Solving
					Family Dependency/Family Drug		Other: ________________
					Elder Abuse
					Child Support/Fathering

Please mark here if your court addresses a combination of court types (e.g., DWI/Drug Court).

Please mark all court types that describe your court (e.g., hybrid DWI/Drug Court would select “Adult Drug” and “DWI/DUI”).

Drug			Community Issues			Youth
	(General) Drug			Community			(General) Youth
	Adult Drug			Gun			Teen
	Juvenile Drug			Prostitution			Girls
	Tribal Drug			Gambling			Boys
	DWI/DUI			Homeless			Truancy
	Campus Drug
Co-Occurring			Reentry			Veterans
		Co-occurring disorders			(General) Reentry		(General) Veterans
					Reentry Drug		Veterans Drug Treatment
					Parole Violation		Veterans Mental Health Treatment
Mental Health			Domestic Relations			Other
		Mental Health			Domestic Violence		(General) Treatment
		Juvenile Mental Health			Integrated Domestic Violence		(General) Problem-Solving
					Family Dependency/Family Drug		Other: ________________
					Elder Abuse
					Child Support/Fathering

Please provide name and contact information for your court.

a.		Name of your Problem-Solving Court:
b.		Street address for your Problem-Solving Court:
c.		Phone number for your Problem-Solving Court:
d.		Your professional information:
	i.		Your name:
	ii.		Your position title:
	iii.		Your organizational affiliation:
	iv.		Your e-mail address:
	v.		Your phone number:

Court Operations

2. Does your Problem-Solving Court...

   1. ...operate within the judiciary (i.e., as part of the judicial rather than executive branch)?

Yes

No

2. ...have a dedicated docket/calendar?

Yes

No

3. ...have a dedicated judicial officer(s)? (i.e., judicial officer has the authority of the court and is assigned to the Problem Solving cases).

Yes

No

If your answer is NO to #2a, b, or c, please STOP and discontinue this survey.

4. ..have a dedicated prosecutor(s)?

Yes

No

5. …have a dedicated defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)?

Yes

No

6. ...have dedicated court staff?

Yes

No

7. ...have a dedicated operations manager/program coordinator?

Yes

No

8. ...have an operations manual for the court? A manual provides a clear model for operating the court and includes all Problem-Solving Court policies.

Yes

No

9. ...have a mission statement?

Yes

No

2. At what level of government does your Problem-Solving Court operate?

Local jurisdiction (e.g., municipal, county, district),

State,

Other: ___________________________________

2. Were the following stakeholders involved in planning efforts to create this Problem-Solving Court?

Information about planning efforts is not available (skip to Question 5).

1. Judge(s)

Yes

No

2. Prosecuting attorney(s)

Yes

No

3. Defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)

Yes

No

4. Court administrator(s)

Yes

No

5. Probation or other supervision agency

Yes

No

6. Law enforcement agency

Yes

No

7. Service provider(s) (e.g., offender/victim services, counseling or treatment services, or general supportive services)

Yes

No

2. How many full-time and part-time staff members are currently employed by your Problem-Solving Court?

This count should not include those fully employed by an external agency (e.g., community service provider or other government agency), but those paid, at least in part, through the judiciary.

1. Number of full-time Problem-Solving Court personnel: _________

2. Number of part-time Problem-Solving Court personnel: _________

2. How frequently is the Problem-Solving Court in session?

Daily

More than once a week but less than daily

Weekly

More than once a month but less than weekly

Monthly

Other: ________________________________

2. What key underlying problem(s) is your Problem-Solving Court designed to address in your community? Select all that apply.

Substance-related issues(s)

Behavioral addiction(s) (e.g., gambling addiction)

Mental health issue(s)

Quality-of-life or nuisance offense(s) (e.g., homelessness)

Poor offender compliance with court orders (e.g., restitution, child support, fines paid in full)

Challenges that hinder access to the judicial system for certain underprivileged populations

If marked, please list the type of underprivileged population: ____________________________

Challenges faced by offenders seeking to integrate back into the community

Victim safety

Other: __________________________________

2. Is expertise in the relevant problem-solving area a mandatory qualification for new professional staff positions within the Problem-Solving Court? For example, the drug court judge has professional experience working with individuals with substance abuse or addiction problems or the mental health court program coordinator has an educational background in the psychological sciences.

Yes

No

2. For each of the following stakeholders, does the Problem-Solving Court mandate training specific to the needs of program participants? Training for stakeholders can range from a formal training curriculum to informal brown bag sessions on key topics such as underlying causes of the offender’s justice system involvement, relevant health or behavioral problems like drug addiction, mental illness, sex offending, domestic violence.

   1. Dedicated judicial officer(s)

Yes

No

2. Dedicated prosecutor(s)

Yes

No

3. Dedicated defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)

Yes

No

4. Dedicated court staff

Yes

No

5. Dedicated operations manager/program coordinator

Yes

No

2. Please select all case types (subject matters) that fall under the jurisdiction of your Problem-Solving Court.

Criminal (include criminal charges for domestic violence, abuse, or neglect),

Family/Domestic Relations (include dependency, orders of protection, adjudication of parental rights, custody, visitation)

Juvenile (include delinquency, or status offenses)

Other: ______________________________________

2. Please select all case types that apply:

Felony

Misdemeanor

Delinquency

Status Offense

Other: _____________________________________

12. Is your Problem-Solving Court currently admitting participants?

Yes

No

13. When did/will your Problem-Solving Court admit its first participant?

Month: ___________________________ Year: ____________

14. Is your Problem-Solving Court currently preparing to cease operations?

Yes

No

If Yes: When did/will your Problem-Solving Court admit its last participant?

Month: ___________________________ Year: ____________

Is this existing Problem-Solving Court merging operations with another problem-solving court?

Yes

No

If you marked Yes, please enter the following information about the new Problem-Solving Court.

Name of merged Problem-Solving Court:
Phone number for this court:
Admitting first participant as of (month/year):
Contact person (e.g., program coordinator) for this court:
	a.	Name:
	b.	Position title:
	c.	Organizational affiliation:
	d.	E-mail address:
	e.	Phone number:

Funding

15. How is your Problem Solving Court currently funded? Select all that apply. For those sources selected, what percentage of your court’s funding for the most recent 12-month period came from each selected funding source?

	Funding Source	Percentage
	Permanent item in state government budget
	Permanent item in local government budget
	Federal start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
	Federal enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
	Federal block grant funding
	State start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
	State enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
	Private foundation start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
	Private foundation enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
	In-kind services
	Client fees
	Other:____________________________________

This is an estimate only.

Commonly used services

15. Please identify the types of services commonly used by active participants in your Problem-Solving Court program. For the purpose of this Census, “commonly used” services are those services that are used by at least 10% of your active Problem-Solving Court program participants.

OFFENDER/VICTIM SERVICES:

Batterer program

Anger management

Prostitution program

Victim-defendant mediation

Other offender/victim services: ___________________________

COUNSELING OR TREATMENT SERVICES:

Treatment readiness program

Individual counseling

Emergency psychiatric services (crisis stabilization)

Inpatient mental health treatment

Outpatient mental health treatment

Substance abuse treatment – less than 90 days

Substance abuse treatment – 90 days or more

Integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment

Medication (e.g., methadone, buprenorphin) as a treatment strategy

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Other counseling/treatment services: _________________________

GENERAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES:

Employment readiness program or other job-related training

Health education

Life skills (e.g., parenting, self-management, decision-making, risk reduction)

GED-related class

Financial counseling services

Assistance in locating housing

Assistance in financing housing

Assistance in accessing benefits (e.g., Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, veterans)

Transportation (e.g., bus fare, rides to program-related appointments)

Child care during program appointments

Supported employment

Court sponsored “alumni” groups

Civil (legal) services assistance

Cultural, ethnic, or racial-specific services

Other supportive service(s):_______________________________________

15. Participant Eligibility: Other than case type, what characteristics are required to establish participant eligibility or ineligibility for your court? Select all that apply:

Prior criminal history

1. Prior conviction

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

2. Prior conviction for violent offense

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

3. Prior conviction for a sex offense

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

4. Other prior criminal history: __________________________________________

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

Mental health-related criteria

5. Clinical diagnosis (e.g., SPMI or specific disorder such as schizophrenia, PTSD)

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

6. Intellectual or developmental disorder (e.g., mental retardation, autism, traumatic brain injury)

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

7. Other mental health criteria: ___________________________________________

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

Substance-related criteria

8. Diagnosis of addiction or substance dependency

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

9. Drug of choice

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

Behavioral addiction

10. Gambling

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

11. Other behavioral addiction: _______________________________________

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

Residential status

12. Homeless or imminent risk of becoming homeless

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

Other

13. Other: ___________________________________

Eligible Ineligible Not applicable

15. Point of entry. At what point(s) in the justice system process are participants admitted into your Problem-Solving Court?

If Criminal:

Pre-plea

Post-plea/pre-sentence

Post-plea/condition of sentence,

Post-conviction/pre-sentence,

Post-sentence,

Post-release,

Other scenario:_______________________________

If Domestic Relations:

Upon filing or case initiation,

After order issued (temporary or final),

After adjudication of rights (e.g., custody, visitation),

Other scenario_________________________________

If Juvenile:

Pre-plea,

Post-plea/pre-disposition,

Post-disposition,

Post-release,

Other scenario:________________________________

Please identify the most common point of entry for participants admitted to your Problem-Solving Court program:

Pre-plea,

Post-plea/pre-disposition,

Post-disposition,

Post-release,

Upon filing or case initiation,

After order issued (temporary or final),

After adjudication of rights (e.g., custody, visitation)

Other scenario:________________________________

15. Are Problem-Solving Court participants required to attend ongoing case management or probation supervision meetings?

Yes

No

15. Are Problem-Solving Court participants required to attend regular judicially-supervised status hearings?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: As part of these regular judicially-supervised status hearings, does the Problem-Solving Court judge directly interact with participants (e.g., by conversing with each participant to affirm his/her understanding of responsibilities or to discuss behavioral progress)?

Yes

No

15. Does the court obtain regular updates from service providers on participant progress?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: Does the court use indicators of participant progress from service providers to modify the case/treatment plan (e.g., to change service quantity or quality)?

Yes

No

15. Does a team (or representatives from collaborating agencies) meet informally/formally to review cases in preparation for each judicially-supervised status hearing?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: Are the following Problem-Solving Court stakeholders typically represented in these case review meetings?

   1. Judge

Yes

No

2. Prosecuting attorney(s)

Yes

No

3. Defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)

Yes

No

4. Probation/supervising agency

Yes

No

5. Law enforcement agency

Yes

No

6. Service provider(s)

Yes

No

15. Does the Problem-Solving Court program apply a continuum of behavioral reinforcement responses (i.e., sanctions, incentives)?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: Does the Problem-Solving Court maintain a schedule linking participant compliance/noncompliance with that response continuum (i.e., linking types of infractions to appropriate sanctions, achievements to incentives)?

Yes

No

15. Case closure. What are the benefits for participants who successfully complete your Problem-Solving Court program? Select all that apply:

Case dismissed

Sentence is suspended (in part or full)

Record expunged

Expedited settlement or placement

Other scenario: _____________________________________

15. Design capacity. How many active participants is your Problem-Solving Court program designed to handle at any one time?

______ Participants Don’t know

15. Active participants. What is the current number of active participants in your Problem-Solving Court program? ______ Participants This is an estimate only.

Data Collection Practices

15. Does your Problem-Solving Court use an electronic case management/information system?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: Does this case management/information system allow for data to be shared with or entered by external agencies (e.g., service providers)?

Yes

No

15. Does your Problem-Solving Court track individual participant outcomes after graduation?

Yes

No

1. If Yes: For how many months after graduation does your court track each participant’s outcomes? ________months

2. Does your court share program-level data on participant outcomes with key stakeholders?

Yes

No

15. Evaluation. Which of the following types of evaluations has been conducted on your Problem-Solving Court?

Process evaluation

Outcome/Impact evaluation

Other: _______________________________

Don’t know

None

Data

Please answer each question based only on data from the most recent 12-month period. If you do not have precise values, please indicate that you are providing an estimate or indicate that you do not have this type of data available and cannot estimate by marking the appropriate box. If your Problem-Solving Court has not yet begun to admit participants, skip this section.

15. How many participants were admitted to your Problem-Solving Court program in this 12-month period? ____________

This is an estimate only.

No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

Data element is not applicable.

If zero, skip a-c.

15. How many participants exited your Problem-Solving court program in this 12-month period? ____________

This is an estimate only.

No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

Data element is not applicable.

1. Of these participants, how many exited your Problem-Solving court program by…

1. ...successful completion/graduation? _________ Data element is not applicable

2. ...administrative closure? _________ Data element is not applicable

3. ...voluntary withdrawal? _________ Data element is not applicable

4. ...general discharge? ________ Data element is not applicable

5. ...transfer? _________ Data element is not applicable

6. ...failure/termination? _________ Data element is not applicable

These numbers are an estimate only.

No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

2. Of all participants who exited your Problem-Solving court program in this 12-month period, what was the average length (in days) from admission to exit? __________days

This number is an estimate only.

No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

3. Of these participants who exited your court program in this 12-month period, what percentage

1. ...were identified as female? _________

2. ...were identified as:

   1. White _________

   2. Black or African American _________

   3. Asian _________

   4. American Indian or Alaska Native _________

   5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander _________

3. …were identified as Hispanic/Latino? _________

These numbers are an estimate only.

No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

Thank You for your participation in the Census of Problem-Solving Courts.

If you are aware of any other problem-solving courts in your jurisdiction, please send an email to [email protected] that identifies the court name(s) and contact person(s).