Society, Science, and Problem-Solving Courts

Problem-solving courts are special courts that do not simply punish offenders, but employ other justice and psychology principles to help solve the underlying social issues that contributed to the crime. The prevalence and practice of problem-solving courts vary widely around the world. Society, Science, and Problem-Solving Courts lays out the societal and scientific factors that explain the development of problem-solving courts, and chart a path for their future.

Problem-solving courts are special courts that do not simply punish offenders, but use other justice principles—like therapeutic jurisprudence and restorative justice—and psychology principles—like anticipated emotion, operant conditioning, and social support—to address underlying social issues that contributed to the crime. The U.S. has numerous types of problem-solving courts, such as drug courts, mental health courts, and homelessness courts. Other countries do not have such courts, have altered versions, or have courts for other issues, like aboriginal courts. Comparison of these courts worldwide shows that many societies address their social issues through courts in dramatically different ways than do problem-solving courts in the U.S. Society, Science, and Problem-Solving Courts takes a broad social science approach to explain what societal factors brought about development of the wide variety of problem-solving courts, and what factors prevent such development or make problem-solving courts unnecessary. The book also investigates the role of science and technology in the development, enforcement, and evaluation of problem-solving courts. It is this combination of society and science that makes problem-solving courts possible.