Census of Problem Solving Courts Survey

Census of Problem-Solving Courts
The National Center for State Courts, on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, is
conducting a National Census of Problem-Solving Courts. The information you provide
in this survey will help to establish an accurate picture of Problem-Solving Courts
nationwide--including how many exist, who they serve, and program characteristics-that does not currently exist.
Thank you for participating in the Census of Problem-Solving Courts. Should questions
arise while you are completing the survey,
please call 800-616-6109 or send an e-mail to CensusPSC@ncsc.org.

Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The estimated average time to complete the form is 30
minutes. If you have comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions to simplify this form, write to the
Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, 810 7th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20531. OMB NO. XXXXXXXX Exp XX/XX/XXXX

Census of Problem-Solving Courts

Respondent Information
State/territory: ______________________________________________________
1.

Identify the SINGLE category label that best describes your Problem-Solving Court.
Drug

Community Issues

Youth

(General) Drug

Community

(General) Youth

Adult Drug

Gun

Teen

Juvenile Drug

Prostitution

Girls

Tribal Drug

Gambling

Boys

DWI/DUI

Homeless

Truancy

Campus Drug
Co-Occurring
Co-occurring disorders

Mental Health
Mental Health
Juvenile Mental Health

Reentry

Veterans

(General) Reentry

(General) Veterans

Reentry Drug

Veterans Drug Treatment

Parole Violation

Veterans Mental Health
Treatment

Domestic Relations
Domestic Violence
Integrated Domestic
Violence
Family
Dependency/Family Drug

Other
(General) Treatment
(General) Problem-Solving
Other: ________________

Elder Abuse
Child Support/Fathering

Please mark here if your court addresses a combination of court types (e.g., DWI/Drug Court).

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Please mark all court types that describe your court (e.g., hybrid DWI/Drug Court would select “Adult Drug” and
“DWI/DUI”).
Drug

Community Issues

Youth

(General) Drug

Community

(General) Youth

Adult Drug

Gun

Teen

Juvenile Drug

Prostitution

Girls

Tribal Drug

Gambling

Boys

DWI/DUI

Homeless

Truancy

Campus Drug
Co-Occurring

Reentry

Co-occurring disorders

Mental Health
Mental Health
Juvenile Mental Health

Veterans

(General) Reentry

(General) Veterans

Reentry Drug

Veterans Drug Treatment

Parole Violation

Veterans Mental Health
Treatment

Domestic Relations
Domestic Violence
Integrated Domestic
Violence
Family
Dependency/Family Drug

Other
(General) Treatment
(General) Problem-Solving
Other: ________________

Elder Abuse
Child Support/Fathering

Please provide name and contact information for your court.
a.
Name of your Problem-Solving Court:

b.

Street address for your Problem-Solving Court:

c.

Phone number for your Problem-Solving Court:

d.

Your professional information:
i.

Your name:

ii.

Your position title:
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iii.

Your organizational affiliation:

iv.

Your e-mail address:

v.

Your phone number:

Court Operations
2. Does your Problem-Solving Court...
a. ...operate within the judiciary (i.e., as part of the judicial rather than executive branch)?
Yes
No
b. ...have a dedicated docket/calendar?
Yes
No
c. ...have a dedicated judicial officer(s)? (i.e., judicial officer has the authority of the court and is
assigned to the Problem Solving cases).
Yes
No
If your answer is NO to #2a, b, or c, please STOP and discontinue this survey.

d. ..have a dedicated prosecutor(s)?
Yes
No
e. …have a dedicated defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)?
Yes
No
f. ...have dedicated court staff?
Yes
No

g. ...have a dedicated operations manager/program coordinator?
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Yes
No
h. ...have an operations manual for the court? A manual provides a clear model for operating the
court and includes all Problem-Solving Court policies.
Yes
No
i. ...have a mission statement?
Yes
No
3. At what level of government does your Problem-Solving Court operate?
Local jurisdiction (e.g., municipal, county, district),
State,
Other: ___________________________________
4. Were the following stakeholders involved in planning efforts to create this Problem-Solving Court?
Information about planning efforts is not available (skip to Question 5).
a. Judge(s)
Yes
No
b. Prosecuting attorney(s)
Yes
No
c. Defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)
Yes
No
d. Court administrator(s)
Yes
No
e. Probation or other supervision agency
Yes
No
f. Law enforcement agency
Yes
No
g. Service provider(s) (e.g., offender/victim services, counseling or treatment services, or general
supportive services)
Yes
No

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5. How many full-time and part-time staff members are currently employed by your Problem-Solving
Court?
This count should not include those fully employed by an external agency (e.g., community service
provider or other government agency), but those paid, at least in part, through the judiciary.
a. Number of full-time Problem-Solving Court personnel: _________
b. Number of part-time Problem-Solving Court personnel: _________
6. How frequently is the Problem-Solving Court in session?
Daily
More than once a week but less than daily
Weekly
More than once a month but less than weekly
Monthly
Other: ________________________________
7. What key underlying problem(s) is your Problem-Solving Court designed to address in your community?
Select all that apply.
Substance-related issues(s)
Behavioral addiction(s) (e.g., gambling addiction)
Mental health issue(s)
Quality-of-life or nuisance offense(s) (e.g., homelessness)
Poor offender compliance with court orders (e.g., restitution, child support, fines paid in full)
Challenges that hinder access to the judicial system for certain underprivileged populations
If marked, please list the type of underprivileged population: ____________________________
Challenges faced by offenders seeking to integrate back into the community
Victim safety
Other: __________________________________
8.

Is expertise in the relevant problem-solving area a mandatory qualification for new professional staff
positions within the Problem-Solving Court? For example, the drug court judge has professional
experience working with individuals with substance abuse or addiction problems or the mental health
court program coordinator has an educational background in the psychological sciences.
Yes
No

9. For each of the following stakeholders, does the Problem-Solving Court mandate training specific to the
needs of program participants? Training for stakeholders can range from a formal training curriculum to
informal brown bag sessions on key topics such as underlying causes of the offender’s justice system
involvement, relevant health or behavioral problems like drug addiction, mental illness, sex offending,
domestic violence.
a. Dedicated judicial officer(s)
Yes
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b.

c.

d.

e.

No
Dedicated prosecutor(s)
Yes
No
Dedicated defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)
Yes
No
Dedicated court staff
Yes
No
Dedicated operations manager/program coordinator
Yes
No

10. Please select all case types (subject matters) that fall under the jurisdiction of your Problem-Solving
Court.
Criminal (include criminal charges for domestic violence, abuse, or neglect),
Family/Domestic Relations (include dependency, orders of protection, adjudication of parental
rights, custody, visitation)
Juvenile (include delinquency, or status offenses)
Other: ______________________________________
11. Please select all case types that apply:
Felony
Misdemeanor
Delinquency
Status Offense
Other: _____________________________________
12. Is your Problem-Solving Court currently admitting participants?
Yes
No
13. When did/will your Problem-Solving Court admit its first participant?
Month: ___________________________
Year: ____________

14. Is your Problem-Solving Court currently preparing to cease operations?
Yes
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No
If Yes: When did/will your Problem-Solving Court admit its last participant?
Month: ___________________________
Year: ____________
Is this existing Problem-Solving Court merging operations with another problem-solving court?
Yes
No
If you marked Yes, please enter the following information about the new Problem-Solving Court.
Name of merged Problem-Solving Court:

Phone number for this court:

Admitting first participant as of (month/year):

Contact person (e.g., program coordinator) for this court:
a.

Name:

b.

Position title:

c.

Organizational affiliation:

d.

E-mail address:

e.

Phone number:

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Funding
15. How is your Problem Solving Court currently funded? Select all that apply. For those sources selected,
what percentage of your court’s funding for the most recent 12-month period came from each selected
funding source?
Funding Source

Percentage

Permanent item in state government budget
Permanent item in local government budget
Federal start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
Federal enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
Federal block grant funding
State start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
State enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
Private foundation start-up fund(s)/grant(s)
Private foundation enhancement fund(s)/grant(s)
In-kind services
Client fees
Other:____________________________________
This is an estimate only.

Commonly used services
16. Please identify the types of services commonly used by active participants in your Problem-Solving Court
program. For the purpose of this Census, “commonly used” services are those services that are used by
at least 10% of your active Problem-Solving Court program participants.
OFFENDER/VICTIM SERVICES:
Batterer program
Anger management
Prostitution program
Victim-defendant mediation
Other offender/victim services: ___________________________
COUNSELING OR TREATMENT SERVICES:
Treatment readiness program
Individual counseling
Emergency psychiatric services (crisis stabilization)
Inpatient mental health treatment
Outpatient mental health treatment
Substance abuse treatment – less than 90 days
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Substance abuse treatment – 90 days or more
Integrated substance abuse and mental health treatment
Medication (e.g., methadone, buprenorphin) as a treatment strategy
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Other counseling/treatment services: _________________________
GENERAL SUPPORTIVE SERVICES:
Employment readiness program or other job-related training
Health education
Life skills (e.g., parenting, self-management, decision-making, risk reduction)
GED-related class
Financial counseling services
Assistance in locating housing
Assistance in financing housing
Assistance in accessing benefits (e.g., Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, veterans)
Transportation (e.g., bus fare, rides to program-related appointments)
Child care during program appointments
Supported employment
Court sponsored “alumni” groups
Civil (legal) services assistance
Cultural, ethnic, or racial-specific services
Other supportive service(s):_______________________________________

17. Participant Eligibility: Other than case type, what characteristics are required to establish participant
eligibility or ineligibility for your court? Select all that apply:
Prior criminal history
a. Prior conviction
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
b. Prior conviction for violent offense
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
c. Prior conviction for a sex offense
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
d. Other prior criminal history: __________________________________________
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
Mental health-related criteria
e. Clinical diagnosis (e.g., SPMI or specific disorder such as schizophrenia, PTSD)
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
f. Intellectual or developmental disorder (e.g., mental retardation, autism, traumatic brain
injury)
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
g. Other mental health criteria: ___________________________________________
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
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Substance-related criteria
h. Diagnosis of addiction or substance dependency
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
i. Drug of choice
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
Behavioral addiction
j. Gambling
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
k. Other behavioral addiction: _______________________________________
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
Residential status
l. Homeless or imminent risk of becoming homeless
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
Other
m. Other: ___________________________________
Eligible
Ineligible
Not applicable
18. Point of entry. At what point(s) in the justice system process are participants admitted into your
Problem-Solving Court?
If Criminal:
Pre-plea
Post-plea/pre-sentence
Post-plea/condition of sentence,
Post-conviction/pre-sentence,
Post-sentence,
Post-release,
Other scenario:_______________________________
If Domestic Relations:
Upon filing or case initiation,
After order issued (temporary or final),
After adjudication of rights (e.g., custody, visitation),
Other scenario_________________________________
If Juvenile:
Pre-plea,
Post-plea/pre-disposition,
Post-disposition,
Post-release,
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Other scenario:________________________________
Please identify the most common point of entry for participants admitted to your Problem-Solving
Court program:
Pre-plea,
Post-plea/pre-disposition,
Post-disposition,
Post-release,
Upon filing or case initiation,
After order issued (temporary or final),
After adjudication of rights (e.g., custody, visitation)
Other scenario:________________________________
19. Are Problem-Solving Court participants required to attend ongoing case management or probation
supervision meetings?
Yes
No
20. Are Problem-Solving Court participants required to attend regular judicially-supervised status hearings?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: As part of these regular judicially-supervised status hearings, does the Problem-Solving
Court judge directly interact with participants (e.g., by conversing with each participant to affirm
his/her understanding of responsibilities or to discuss behavioral progress)?
Yes
No
21. Does the court obtain regular updates from service providers on participant progress?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: Does the court use indicators of participant progress from service providers to modify the
case/treatment plan (e.g., to change service quantity or quality)?
Yes
No
22. Does a team (or representatives from collaborating agencies) meet informally/formally to review cases
in preparation for each judicially-supervised status hearing?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: Are the following Problem-Solving Court stakeholders typically represented in these case
review meetings?
i. Judge
Yes
No
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ii. Prosecuting attorney(s)
Yes
No
iii. Defense attorney(s)/public defender(s)
Yes
No
iv. Probation/supervising agency
Yes
No
v. Law enforcement agency
Yes
No
vi. Service provider(s)
Yes
No
23. Does the Problem-Solving Court program apply a continuum of behavioral reinforcement responses (i.e.,
sanctions, incentives)?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: Does the Problem-Solving Court maintain a schedule linking participant
compliance/noncompliance with that response continuum (i.e., linking types of infractions to
appropriate sanctions, achievements to incentives)?
Yes
No
24. Case closure. What are the benefits for participants who successfully complete your Problem-Solving
Court program? Select all that apply:
Case dismissed
Sentence is suspended (in part or full)
Record expunged
Expedited settlement or placement
Other scenario: _____________________________________

25. Design capacity. How many active participants is your Problem-Solving Court program designed to
handle at any one time?
______ Participants
Don’t know

26. Active participants. What is the current number of active participants in your Problem-Solving Court
program? ______ Participants
This is an estimate only.
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Data Collection Practices
27. Does your Problem-Solving Court use an electronic case management/information system?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: Does this case management/information system allow for data to be shared with or
entered by external agencies (e.g., service providers)?
Yes
No
28. Does your Problem-Solving Court track individual participant outcomes after graduation?
Yes
No
a. If Yes: For how many months after graduation does your court track each participant’s
outcomes? ________months
b. Does your court share program-level data on participant outcomes with key stakeholders?
Yes
No
29. Evaluation. Which of the following types of evaluations has been conducted on your Problem-Solving
Court?
Process evaluation
Outcome/Impact evaluation
Other: _______________________________
Don’t know
None

Data
Please answer each question based only on data from the most recent 12-month period. If you do not have
precise values, please indicate that you are providing an estimate or indicate that you do not have this type of
data available and cannot estimate by marking the appropriate box. If your Problem-Solving Court has not yet
begun to admit participants, skip this section.
30. How many participants were admitted to your Problem-Solving Court program in this 12-month period?
____________
This is an estimate only.
No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.
Data element is not applicable.

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If zero, skip a-c.
31. How many participants exited your Problem-Solving court program in this 12-month period?
____________
This is an estimate only.
No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.
Data element is not applicable.

a. Of these participants, how many exited your Problem-Solving court program by…
i.
...successful completion/graduation? _________
Data element is not applicable
ii.
...administrative closure? _________
Data element is not applicable
iii.
...voluntary withdrawal? _________
Data element is not applicable
iv.
...general discharge? ________
Data element is not applicable
v.
...transfer? _________
Data element is not applicable
vi.
...failure/termination? _________
Data element is not applicable
These numbers are an estimate only.
No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

b. Of all participants who exited your Problem-Solving court program in this 12-month period,
what was the average length (in days) from admission to exit? __________days
This number is an estimate only.
No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

c. Of these participants who exited your court program in this 12-month period, what percentage
i. ...were identified as female? _________
ii. ...were identified as:
1. White _________
2. Black or African American _________
3. Asian _________
4. American Indian or Alaska Native _________
5. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander _________
iii. …were identified as Hispanic/Latino? _________
These numbers are an estimate only.
No data available and cannot offer an informed estimate.

Thank You for your participation in the Census of Problem-Solving Courts.
If you are aware of any other problem-solving courts in your jurisdiction, please send an email to
CensusPSC@ncsc.org that identifies the court name(s) and contact person(s).

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