Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Different Roles within the Drug Treatment Court Model. General Session.

November 23, 2013Caroline S. Cooper

Investigadora y Directora de la Oficina de Programas de Justicia de la Escuela de Políticas Públicas de la American University. Washington,

D.C. Estados Unidos

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Treatment Court Concept• Collaborative program involving services from

multiple agencies• Each agency plays a specific role often different from

its traditional role outside of the drug treatment court

• All the agencies together comprise the Drug Treatment Court “Team”

• All Agencies work toward a common goal: The Drug Court Mission

Drug Court Mission: Sample Mission Statements“The Polk County Drug Court will reduce drug related crime and recidivism by providing court supervision and treatment of drug abusers to ensure public safety, to reduce the cost of drug related crime to tax payers and to improve the quality of life in Polk County.”

Polk County Drug Court, Dallas, Oregon, USA

“The mission of the Brown County Drug Court is to improve the overall quality of life in our community by providing a court-supervised program for substance dependent offenders that will enhance public safety, reduce crime, hold offenders accountable, reduce costs to our community, and ultimately transform these offenders into positive, contributing members of our community.”

Brown County Drug Court, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

The Drug Treatment Court Team• Who are the team members?

– Judge– Prosecutor– Defense Counsel, usually Public Defender– Treatment Provider– Case Manager/Coordinator– Probation/Community Supervision

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

The Drug Treatment Court Team (cont.)• Role of the team?

– Provide the holistic services drug offenders need• substance abuse treatment; • mental health; • ancillary services such as housing, education, vocational assistance, etc.; • supervision; • legal services

– Monitor participant’s progress and adjust service plan as needed• Framework for monitoring is participant’s treatment plan• Key issues:

– Is the participant achieving the articulated milestones as anticipated?– If not, what adjustments in service treatment plan are needed?

– Serve in advisory role to drug court judge who makes final decision(s)

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles• Different roles in Drug Treatment Court than in traditional

justice system process• Need special job descriptions for Drug Treatment Court• Need Orientation to Team Members on their Special Role(s) in

the Drug Treatment Court Before Being Assigned

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Judge

– Provides leadership for the team and the program– Final decision maker; judicial decision making function never

delegated– Seeks to maintain individual in treatment: (“sanctions” and

“incentives”)• Sanctions: immediate response to noncompliance: generally therapeutic rather

than punitive (increase treatment, locate housing, etc.)• Incentives: immediate response to participant’s progress: small tokens recognizing

achievements (praise in the courtroom; being called first at the drug court hearing; small gifts such as movie tickets, etc.)

– Oversight and management of all of the entities/agencies involved

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Prosecutor

– Participates in determination of eligible offenses– Reviews prior criminal history of eligible participants– Participates in design of program to ensure public safety is

protected– Participates in operation of the program to ensure

program is operating as intended– Serves as drug court team member to provide

recommendations for participant services

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Defense

– Identifies potentially eligible participants, reviews facts of their situation and discusses program and its potential benefits with them

– Advises/Protects individual’s constitutional and legal rights throughout the process

– No compromise in the lawyer/client ethical relationship – Ensures that the drug court program design is consistent

with constitutional and legal requirements– Ensures that the drug court program operates as intended

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Treatment

– Provides evidence based, individualized treatment services to each individual consistent with their treatment plan

– Provides regular (weekly) reports to the court and drug treatment court team regarding participant’s progress, milestones being achieved, needs emerging

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Case Manager/Coordinator

– Ensures that all of the services the participant needs are, in fact, being provided;

– Identifies changes in treatment plan and service plans if/as necessary

– Serves as liaison with participating agencies/community resources

– Ensures team has complete and current reports on participants progress

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles (cont.)• Probation/Supervision

– Provides supervision of individual in community; may entail:• Drug testing• Curfew monitoring• Home visits• Visits to employment

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles: Challenges• "Team concept” v. specific role of members

– How to work as a team? Very new experience– becomes even more difficult when new members

inevitably replace old members. • Need for training, cross- training, is critical and on-

going. – Most criminal justice personnel don’t know what

treatment does– Most treatment professionals don’t know what criminal

justice system professionals do

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug Court Team Roles: Challenges (cont.)• Whole team needs to learn about addiction and its effect on

cognitive processes, the brain, how people who have been using drugs think, behave, and respond

• Need written job descriptions for both current team members and for new people who come; – what is expected of the team member in the drug court? vs. – in their other nondrug court duties?

• Staff Turnover is continual and must be anticipated– people change – team roles stay constant

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Drug court team rolesspecific applications to be discussed in

next session

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.

Thank you.

Resources: www.american.edu/justice

Los distintos roles dentro del modelo de TTA. Sesión general.