Foundations in Community Courts

Community Courts, the why, the how and the impacts

Criminal behavior can adversely affect the community in which it occurs. Community Courts are multidisciplinary justice, health and community partnerships which aim to improve the community by tackling the root causes of an offender’s behavior. Community Courts are neighborhood-based operations which create justice, health, community relationships to rehabilitate an offender to the betterment of the community. Experienced practitioners explain the rationale, describe practices and outcomes of Community Courts.

Natalie Reyes

Director, International Justice Initiatives

Deputy Director

Training and Technical Assistance

Center for Court Innovation

Lindsey Price Jackson

Senior Program Manager

Community Justice Training & Technical Assistance

Center for Court Innovation

Downtown Community Court of Vancouver - the Why, the How and the Impacts

 

Featured Program Series Spotlight: The Downtown Community Court of Vancouver. Criminal behavior can adversely affect the community in which it occurs. Community Courts are multidisciplinary justice, health and community partnerships which aim to improve the community by tackling the root causes of an offender’s behavior. Community Courts are neighborhood-based operations which create justice, health, community relationships to rehabilitate an offender to the betterment of the community. Experienced practitioners from the Downtown Community Court explain the rationale, describe practices and outcomes of of the Downtown Community Court.

Honourable Judge James Bahen

Downtown Community Court

Provincial Court of British Columbia

Vancouver

British Columbia

Fiona Lawrence

Local Manager

Downtown Community Court

Vancouver

British Columbia

Sharon Lockhart

Director Integrated Programs

Downtown Community Court (DCC)

Drug Treatment Court of Vancouver (DTCV) Vancouver Integrated Supervision Unit (VISU)

British Columbia

 

Trauma-Informed Processes

 

This presentation focuses on what trauma is, how it affects us, why we should consider it in the courtroom, and what courtroom practices we can implement to help alleviate the ongoing effects of trauma. The prevalence of serious traumatic experiences among our neighbours and fellow community members is alarming, and its consequences can be severe, manifesting in stressful environments like courtrooms. Presenters in this section will walk through direct clinical experiences, personal experiences, and a case study to help illustrate the many sides of trauma. This presentation will conclude with suggestions on how court practitioners can better help case participants cope with trauma and on how to incorporate trauma-informed practices into the courtroom.

 

Lindsey Price Jackson, Senior Program Manager of Community Justice Initiatives, Centre for Justice Innovation, New York

Kathryn Ford

Director of Clinical Supervision and Child Witness Initiatives

Centre for Justice Innovation, New York

 

Downtown Vancouver Community Court

The “why, the how and impacts” of the Downtown Vancouver Community Court. Barriers, Challenges, Successes and best practice recommendations.

Sharon Lockhart

Director of Integrated Programs

Downtown Community Court (DCC)

Drug Treatment Court of Vancouver (DTCV)

Vancouver Integrated Supervision Unit (VISU)