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ABSTRACT
Problem-solving courts such as prostitution courts are becoming an important feature of the American court landscape. Internationally, while there is a great deal of skepticism regarding problem solving courts, at least five countries (e.g., England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, and Canada) are deliberating whether this “revolutionary panacea” which has swept America’s criminal justice system is the right approach for them. Few studies have explored the benefits and challenges of problem solving courts (i.e. prostitution court) using an interprofessional collaborative framework. The purpose of this case study is to examine contemporary issues related to prostitution courts using Bronstein’s model of interprofessional collaborative framework which identifies five components that facilitate optimum IPC: 1) interdependence, 2)newly created professional activities, 3)flexibility, 4)collective ownership of goals, and 5) reflection on the process. Some benefits of IPC include working collaboratively, adaptability, adjusting expectations, investment in the process and making changes as needed. Some of the challenges of IPC were coercive power, dual roles, bait and switch, hierarchy, and push for outcomes at the expense of clients. As criminal justice systems nationally and internationally contemplate widespread implementation of different kinds of problem-solving courts, these benefits and challenges need to be considered before states and countries adopt these courts.
Declaration of interest
The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of this article.
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Notes on contributors
Joan M. Blakey
Dr. Joan Blakey is the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Tulane School of Social Work. Dr. Joan M. Blakey’s primary research interests focus on trauma and substance abuse among women who are involved with the child protection and criminal justice systems. Her ultimate goal is to understand the healing and recovery process for women with histories of complex trauma and assist with the development of trauma-informed organizations and systems of care. Dr. Blakey's most recent project focuses on women who have histories of prostitution/sex-trafficking. She is working with women incarcerated at a County jail as well as women receiving social services from a non-profit agency. The purposes of this study are to understand the experiences of women who often have complex histories of trauma; identify the pathways that lead to their involvement with prostitution and sex trafficking, the kinds of services and community linkages women need to heal and recover; and identify best practices for service providers and law enforcement when working with women who have histories of prostitution/sex-trafficking.
Alana J. Gunn
Alana J. Gunn has extensive experience working with individuals who are incarcerated and those under correctional community-based supervision, as well as with the agencies charged with supporting their reentry process. Her program of research focuses on the ways in which multi-level experiences of stigmatization shape the health and well-being of women with intersecting histories of criminal legal involvement and substance use disorders. She is currently engaged in a number of projects, including a research study examining the ways in which familial and services systems shape identity change processes for women reintegrating post-imprisonment as well as a study exploring the ethics-specific implications of interviewing formerly incarcerated women with histories of structural and individual-level trauma. She is also a Faculty Partner with the Prisoner Reentry Institute (PRI) at John Jay’s School of Criminal Justice where she is examining data on the reentry experiences of men in PRI’s Prison-to-College Program who are engaged in the City University of New York (CUNY) educational system post-incarceration.
Kelli E. Canada
Dr. Kelli E. Canada is a Robert Wood Johnson Fellow and recipient of the Hazel M. Hatcher HES Research Scholar Award. Dr. Canada’s clinical practice and research focuses on intervention and treatment for populations who are marginalized and underserved. Her primary research agenda examines interventions targeting vulnerable populations (e.g., people with serious mental illnesses, older adults, veterans) who enter the criminal justice system. These populations are at greater risk of experiencing negative outcomes in comparison to the general population of people who are arrested. Dr. Canada studies interventions along the criminal justice continuum including crisis intervention teams in police departments, specialty court programs, and prison-based interventions to reduce risk and stigma that vulnerable populations face. She is currently studying mental health and veteran treatment courts in order to determine the factors that impact successful completion of these programs, improved quality of life, and recovery.