January is #NationalHumanTraffickingPreventionMonth

January is #NationalHumanTraffickingPreventionMonth. An opportunity to educate your community about the crime and highlight support services for those who have experienced it. State Justice Institute addresses the impact of federal and state human trafficking laws on the state courts, and the challenges faced by state courts in dealing with cases involving trafficking victims and their families. These efforts are intended to empower state courts to identify victims, link them with vital services, and hold traffickers accountable.

View some of our human trafficking funded projects here: https://www.sji.gov/priority-investment-areas/human-trafficking/

#humantraffickingawareness #endtrafficking #humantraffickingprevention

The ICM Fellows Application is Open!

What does being a Fellow mean to the court community? CCJ and COSCA described the importance of the Fellows program in a joint resolution. The resolution recognizes Fellows as important court leaders, the importance of Fellows projects in improving the administration of justice, and Fellows “as a symbol of professional expertise and individual commitment to excellence in service.”

For more information and to apply, please visit: Prospective Fellows | NCSC

Please reach out to icmfellows@ncsc.org with any questions.

Deadline Extended! Seeking Juvenile Courts for Demonstration Sites Project

Deadline Extended! Seeking Juvenile Courts for #DemonstrationSites Project

Applications are due by January 5th, 2024.

Are you interested in making data-driven decisions in your juvenile justice court? Are you in the midst of juvenile justice system reform and could use some technical assistance or strategic planning? Would you like your court to be more engaged with your community? Whether you are just starting a new court reform initiative or need assistance with your current initiatives, check out this unique opportunity to assist your court.

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges NCJFCJ, with funding from the State Justice Institute (SJI), is pleased to announce that we are seeking juvenile courts that are interested in participating in the Enhanced Juvenile Justice Guidelines Demonstration Sites Project. If your court is interested in becoming a demonstration site, please click on the link below to complete the application.

https://ncjfcj.sjc1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ddpIevgAYubnp6S

Applications are due by January 5th, 2024.

Federal Grant Resources! SJI Funding Toolkit

It’s that time of year again! Federal Grant Season has started. State Justice Institute has designed a Funding Toolkit to support local courts, state courts, and their justice system partners as they pursue federal and philanthropic funding opportunities. This toolkit includes resources that encompass the entire grant seeking, writing and management process, such as planning checklists, sample documents, frequently asked questions and fact sheets.

Technical assistance is also available to courts to provide support and feedback during the grant writing and development process. Access the toolkit to learn about the current funding opportunities, receive technical assistance, watch virtual learning modules and visit our FAQ page to answer any questions you may have: https://fundingtoolkit.sji.gov/

Response Team will Assist Courts with AI Policy and Practice

The Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ) and Conference of State Court Administrators (COSCA) have created a Rapid Response Team (RRT) of chief justices and state court administrators to examine some of the immediate issues related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI in courts.

“The growing reliance on AI tools in the legal practice and court proceedings offers opportunities and challenges,” said CCJ President and RRT Co-Chair Anna Blackburne-Rigsby, Chief Judge of the DC Court of Appeals. “I am pleased that this team will begin work soon to assist courts in understanding the current implications of AI’s evolution on the state courts and create model guardrails to protect the integrity of the judicial process.”

RRT Co-Chair Justin Forkner, Chief Administrative Officer of the Indiana Supreme Court, added, “Our shared understanding of these technologies will help us develop model rules for state courts with respect to disclosure, transparency, accuracy, authenticity, and certification of AI use in court pleading and proceedings.”

Supported by NCSC staff, this team will collect and analyze court orders, rules, best practices, and other actions of the state court community related to attorneys and self-represented litigants’ use of AI tools to construct legal pleadings.

Read more here: Response team will assist courts with AI policy and practice | NCSC

SJI Board Awards FY 2024 First Quarter Grants

SJI received 10 grant applications requesting a total of $1,231,514 for the 1st quarter of FY 2024. The Board met on December 4, 2023, at SJI Headquarters to make decisions on those applications.

During its meeting, the Board awarded one (1) Strategic Initiatives Grant to the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), in partnership with the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators to conduct five regional online and in-person summits, where court leaders will gain a deeper understanding of cybersecurity and technical disaster recovery resources and tools, enabling them to prevent, respond to, and recover from cybersecurity events. 

One (1) Project Grant application was awarded to the National Association for Court Management (NACM) to: 1) develop and deliver nationally significant educational programs, related materials, and curriculum with a continued focus on SJI Priority Investment Areas and the NACM Core©; and 2) continue distant learning opportunities to broaden the scope and delivery of educational content to court managers, judges, administrators, and other judicial branch employees. 

Five (5) Technical Assistance Grant applications were awarded: 1) the Kansas Supreme Court to conduct an organizational assessment of the staffing structure of the Office of Judicial Administration and district court administrators statewide; 2) the NCSC to develop a free, online self-study resource that will educate court staff about the role of courts in American society, and how court staff help fulfill the mission of courts; 3) the Superior Court of Mohave County, Arizona, to conduct a workload assessment of judicial officers; 4) the Alaska Court System to identify the most effective governance model that will result in a cohesive, responsive, efficient, and data-informed administrative system for trial court operations; and 5) the Wyoming Judicial Branch to implement a mental health diversion project with the immediate goal of launching a pilot in Campbell County, and a long-term goal statewide implementation.

Two (2) Curriculum Adaptation and Training Grants were awarded: 1) support to the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) to develop an advanced domestic violence educational session and toolkit for judges and other court personnel attending the NAWJ meetings; and 2) the Wisconsin Office of Judicial Education to provide a faculty development training program for judicial officers and other court personnel identified as potential future in-house faculty for educational programming in the state.

GIS Technology to Assist in Identifying “Legal Deserts”

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has recently started utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping technology to assist state courts in identifying “legal deserts”- areas where people may face challenges accessing legal resources and services.

GIS technology can help courts gain deeper insights into the needs of people living in legal deserts by generating legal desert maps that consider access-to-justice risk factors such as the number of attorneys compared to the population, distance to a courthouse, poverty rates, limited English proficiency, and the absence of internet or broadband connectivity.

“We can integrate external data that we usually would not focus on, such as demographics, population characteristics, transportation routes, bus schedules, or public service provider locations,” said Miriam Hamilton, an NCSC senior court research analyst. “This allows us to identify problems that were not clear before, set priorities based on locations with the greatest need, or even forecast trends.”

NCSC Court Consulting Services Managing Director, Danielle Hirsch, expanded on Hamilton’s comments by saying, “Sometimes internal court data is not enough to help identify the full problem, and GIS data can help us to see other solutions.”

Hirsch recently shared some of these findings during a session at the CCJ/COSCA Midwest Summit. To date, NCSC has created legal desert maps for several states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Additional states may be added in the future.

GIS analysis has revealed that legal deserts are not always found in rural areas. Urban areas can also experience risk factors and limited resources. Furthermore, GIS mapping can also address other court issues, such as finding solutions for high failure-to-appear rates.

One state that has embraced GIS mapping is Michigan, where courts are using data to guide activities for their Justice For All Commission, Michigan Legal Help program, and MI-Resolve, a free online dispute resolution system.

Learn more by exploring the Mapping Barriers to Accessing Legal Services data.

Upcoming Webinar! What’s New with Virtual Child Welfare Hearings

Upcoming Webinar! The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) will be hosting: What’s New with Virtual Child Welfare Hearings on December 19th, 2023, at 3:00PM EST.

Virtual hearings were a necessity to move child welfare cases forward during the pandemic; however, some jurisdictions are continuing to find benefits to using them as a tool. In this webinar, hear from court experts about new resources to help you facilitate meaningful and effective child welfare virtual hearings.

For more information and to register now, click here: Webinar Registration – Zoom

2024 NACM Midyear Conference

Save the date! #EducationalSessions You Won’t Want to Miss!

Register now for the 2024 NACM – National Association for Court Management Midyear Conference, from February 4th-February 6th, 2024, in Orange County, CA. The conference will offer the most current information, tools, best practices, and training for #courtprofessionals. This upcoming live event features engaging presentations across three (3) educational tracks with insightful opportunities to network with fellow attendees, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

Register here: 2024 Midyear Conference – National Association for Court Management (nacmnet.org)

Rural Justice Collaborative Announces New Rural Justice Innovation Sites

Nation’s top rural policy reformers select six programs to serve as examples for rural communities

December 5, 2023 (Williamsburg, VA)- The Rural Justice Collaborative (RJC) Advisory Council, composed of rural judges along with additional stakeholders in the justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and
public health systems, selected six of the country’s most innovative rural justice programs to serve as models for other communities. The RJC initiative provides resources to enable rural communities to replicate these Innovation Sites’ successes.

From implementing restorative justice panels in rural Alaska to providing access to recovery support services in Massachusetts, the new class of Innovation Sites work on solving problems in underserved communities across America. “This is the third, and final, year we’re adding to the Rural Justice Innovation Site roster, and I’m continually impressed at the innovations we’re finding during this highly competitive selection process,” said Tara Kunkel, Executive Director of Rulo Strategies and co-director of
the RJC in partnership with the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). “We know that many rural communities lack access to resources to develop their own program concepts from scratch. So, when they find examples of other communities that have developed innovative solutions to complex problems, they can emulate those frameworks.” The Rural Justice Innovation Site Program is the first nationally concerted effort for justice leaders and their collaborators in other sectors to share what they know.

Research shows rural Americans are more likely than urban residents to be jailed, overdose, and lack access to substance use and mental health care and public health services. Communities sometimes try to implement solutions that have worked in urban centers but those are often unsuccessful. “Programs that are built in rural communities and informed by rural practitioners are providing solutions that take into account unique geographic characteristics and the availability of resources,” said Jonathan Mattiello, Executive Director of the State Justice Institute (SJI).

Innovation Sites work with the RJC to create educational materials for an online resource center. The sites also host visits and participate in regional conferences. “Thanks to funding from SJI, we’re compiling a deep pool of knowledge and actionable content that individual communities may not have the resources to put together on their own,” said Michelle Cern of the National Center for State Courts who serves as the co-director for the RJC. “These coaching and mentoring resources will allow rural community leaders to quickly get up to speed on promising and best practices and avoid missteps so they can launch their own successful initiatives.”

New Rural Justice Innovation Sites
(For full descriptions of each program, visit https://www.ruraljusticecollaborative.org/innovation-sites.)

Alaska’s Tribe/State Rural Court Restorative Justice Program | 4th Judicial District

Restorative justice processes in rural Alaska include, but are not limited to, circle sentencing, family group conferencing, reparative boards such as Elders panels, and victim/offender mediation.

End Domestic Violence Task Force | City of Kingsville and Kleberg County Texas

With the nearest domestic violence shelter located more than an hour away, this task force developed a three-component solution to support individuals in domestic violence situations as they seek help.

Jersey County Drug Court Program | Jersey County, Illinois

The Jersey County Drug Court program is responsive to social determinants of health by providing housing and employment services to participants in partnership with local community-based organizations.

Operation Better Together | Adams County Ohio

Operation Better Together is a collaborative that addresses issues related to child welfare, substance use disorders, and access to treatment for individuals and families involved in the criminal justice system. Programs include jail-based treatment, access to virtual treatment, a ‘Justice Bus’ that provides free legal aid and services, and prevention events to reduce the number of children in foster care.

Project NORTH (Navigation, Outreach, Recovery, Treatment, and Hope) | Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Project NORTH is a free, confidential, and voluntary court-based program providing access to recovery support navigation, transportation, and certified sober housing for court-involved individuals and families impacted by substance use. It is operational in 14 courts across Massachusetts.

Substance Use Disorder and Reentry Initiative at Legal Aid of West Virginia | Statewide

Legal Aid of West Virginia (LAWV) helps individuals affected by substance use achieve long-term recovery by reducing or removing legal barriers to safe housing, transportation, and employment. They do this through several programs including a Recovery Medical-Legal Partnership Program and a Jobs & Hope Project.

About the Rural Justice Collaborative

The RJC showcases the strengths of rural communities and highlights the cross-sector collaboration that is a hallmark of rural justice systems. The work under the RJC is supported by a cross-sector advisory council composed of rural judges along with additional stakeholders in the justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and public health systems. The advisory council will guide the multi-year initiative and identify innovative programs and practices.

The RJC priority focus areas are:

○ Increasing access to behavioral health treatment

○ Reducing victimization

○ Facilitating employment/educational opportunities for justice involved individuals

○ Eliminating barriers of access to justice

○ Reducing incarceration

○Facilitating reentry

○Reducing the number of children in foster care due to substance use disorders

About the National Center for State Courts

The National Center for State Courts, headquartered in Williamsburg, Va., is a nonprofit court organization dedicated to improving the administration of justice by providing leadership and service to the state courts. Founded in 1971 by the Conference of Chief Justices and Chief Justice of the United
States Warren E. Burger, NCSC provides education, training, technology, management, and research services to the nation’s state courts. Learn more at ncsc.org.

About Rulo Strategies

Rulo Strategies is a woman-owned business focused on supporting and evaluating initiatives designed to foster collaboration between diverse stakeholders with distinct but complementary missions. Founder Tara Kunkel served as a Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) where she advised on the policy direction of all opioid-related and overdose prevention initiatives. Learn more at rulostrategies.com.

About the State Justice Institute

The State Justice Institute (SJI) was established by federal law in 1984 to award grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts, and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts. SJI is a non-profit corporation governed by an 11-member Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Learn more at sji.gov.