Nov. 19, 2010
Drug Court Association Policy Chief Addresses Specialized Dockets Conference
More than 360 professionals involved in specialized dockets in courts across Ohio met Thursday for innovative training sessions presented by national speakers and to learn effective strategies from each other.
Dr. Douglas Marlowe, chief of science, policy & law for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, delivered the keynote address: “Targeting Dispositions for Offenders by Risks and Needs.” A lawyer and clinical psychologist, Dr. Marlowe has studied coercion in drug abuse treatment and the effects of drug courts and other diversion programs for drug abusers involved in the criminal justice system.
Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and Butler County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Sage, chairman of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Specialized Dockets, welcomed the 360 participants, including judges, court personnel, attorneys, treatment providers, counselors and case managers.
The theme of the seventh annual conference of the Ohio Specialized Dockets Practitioner Network was “On a Firm Foundation: The Evidence for Specialized Dockets.” The conference’s 24 workshops focused on the research that has developed over the last 20 years supporting specialized dockets. Those workshops addressed interpreting drug testing results, treatment of opiod addiction, effective batterer intervention programs, life cycles of drug courts, and reviews of the research literature on both adult and juvenile drug courts.
Since the establishment of the Hamilton County Drug Court in 1995, Ohio has been recognized as a national leader in the implementation of specialized dockets. In 2001, the Supreme Court created the Specialized Dockets Section to assist and support local courts in developing specialized programs uniquely tailored to helping specific populations within the court system. Today, there are nearly 140 specialized dockets operating in Ohio including drug courts, mental health courts, re-entry courts, OVI courts, sex offender courts, felony non-support courts and domestic violence courts.
The Supreme Court, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) and the Ohio Department of Mental Health have recognized the need for interaction among the professionals who staff these courts. In order to provide such a forum, the network was created to provide peer support and technical assistance to these programs.
The conference, which was sponsored by the Specialized Dockets Section, was held in conjunction with ODADAS.
Learn more about the Ohio Specialized Dockets Practitioner Network.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow, 614.387.9250.