Mr. Barsky is a Ph.D. Student in Health Policy at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, and Legal Research Fellow at the Scattergood Program for Applied Ethics of Behavioral Health Care, University of Pennsylvania, PA. Ms. Cucolo is Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Law, New York Law School, New York, NY. Dr. Sisti is Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Ethics & Health Policy, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
J Am Acad Psychiatry Law. 2021 Mar;49(1):96-106. doi: 10.29158/JAAPL.200040-20. Epub 2020 Nov 24.
A patchwork of drug courts and other problem-solving courts currently exists to divert individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system. We call for a broader implementation of problem-solving courts, particularly at the federal level, that would operate according to the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence (i.e., a framework that aims to maximize the health benefits of judicial and legislative policies and practices). Expanding federal problem-solving courts will better serve individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders in the federal criminal justice system and allow them to benefit from rehabilitation and diversion programs. This effort will also signal that the federal judiciary has recognized the criminal justice system's failure to address inmate mental health care, and that it is willing to institute changes to provide appropriate, evidence-based interventions.
目前，存在各种毒品法庭和其他问题解决法庭，旨在将患有精神疾病和药物使用障碍的个人从刑事司法系统中转移出来。我们呼吁更广泛地实施问题解决法庭，特别是在联邦一级，这些法庭将根据治疗法学的原则运作（即旨在使司法和立法政策及实践的健康效益最大化的框架）。扩大联邦问题解决法庭将更好地为联邦刑事司法系统中患有精神疾病和药物使用障碍的个人提供服务，并使他们受益于康复和转介方案。这一努力还将表明联邦司法机构已经认识到刑事司法系统未能解决囚犯的精神保健问题，并且愿意进行改革，提供适当的、基于证据的干预措施。
