NCJ Number
233274
Date Published
2006
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This report presents the experiences of juvenile court judges from 10 jurisdictions around the country in their efforts to deal with juvenile substance abuse.
Abstract
This report presents the results of Reclaiming Futures, a 5-year initiative funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to bring together problem-solving courts and systems of care to deal with substance-abusing youth in the juvenile justice system. The demonstration sites were located in nine States: Alaska, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington, and in a tribal nation in South Dakota. The paper draws on the collective experiences of 15 judges in these jurisdictions and presents information and guidance on: "the evolving nature of the judicial role in systemic and community responses to juveniles involved with drugs, alcohol, and crime; the role of the judge as a convenor and collaborator in system change; and adapting the principles of problem-solving courts to the creation of an integrated system of care for juveniles involved with substance abuse in the juvenile justice system". The guide is intended for use by other judges, court administrators, government agencies, community leaders, and other interested parties and individuals who are interested in solving the problem of juvenile substance abuse. The report is presented in five sections that address: the need for judicial leadership; the foundation of the problem-solving approach; the integrated system of care model developed by Reclaiming Futures; practical steps to building a multisystemic collaborative; and a judicial call to action to address the problem of juvenile substance abuse that includes a list of 10 recommendations for judges and other key stakeholders.