AG Rutledge gives $1 million to specialty courts from opioid settlement fund

Arkansas Lawyer Common Leslie Rutledge introduced Tuesday (Oct. 11) a $1 million allocation to supply further funding for Arkansas’ specialty courts by the Arkansas Administrative Workplace of the Courts.

The $1 million comes from the state’s $216 million opioid settlement settlement with drug distributor Johnson & Johnson.

Specialty courts are based on the standard grownup drug court docket mannequin, which addresses the underlying explanation for prison conduct, together with substance use, psychological well being, and criminogenic danger elements. Members enter into specialty courts to obtain long-term remedy with intensive court docket supervision for a median of 16 months.

Not like conventional court docket, specialty courts take a collaborative strategy to justice. The specialty court docket workforce consists of the choose, program coordinator, prosecuting legal professional, protection legal professional, remedy supplier, neighborhood supervision officer, and regulation enforcement officer. Collectively, the specialty court docket workforce works collaboratively to information individuals to realize established restoration targets and supply accountability for lapses in enchancment.

“Specialty courts are the simplest software out there to the judiciary to cut back recidivism, enhance public security, and, most significantly, restore dignity to people, households, and communities affected by untreated substance use and psychological well being problems,” stated Janet Hawley, State Specialty Courtroom Coordinator.

The Specialty Courtroom Program Advisory Committee, chaired by Chief Justice John Dan Kemp, was established by Act 895 of 2015 to advertise collaboration and supply suggestions on points involving specialty courts. The Specialty Courtroom Program Advisory Committee will oversee the distribution of funds offered by the Lawyer Common.