What Are Colorado Specialty Courts?
Colorado problem-solving courts provide a non-traditional approach to integrating treatment provision and criminal justice case processing. These courts work in close alliance with multidisciplinary teams such as members of the judicial treatment communities to offer accountability and treatment and services to offenders in order to reduce substance abuse and recidivism. Other goals of the Colorado Specialty courts include:
- To minimize jail and prison crowding issues;
- To reduce crime;
- To increase the effective management of mental illness among the substance abusing and dependent participants of its programs;
- To advance the effective integration of resources from the courts, justice system personnel, and community agencies and to expand collaboration among all agencies;
- To assist participants in achieving long-term sobriety, maintain recovery, improve their lives and their families’ lives, and become useful members of their communities.
There are over 75 problem-solving courts in the 22 judicial districts in Colorado. Programs offered by Colorado problem-solving courts include:
- Adult Drug Courts;
- Juvenile Drug Courts;
- DUI Courts
- Adult and Juvenile Mental Health Courts;
- Family and Dependency/Neglect Courts
- Veteran’s Treatment Courts
Also referred to as specialty, treatment, collaborative, or accountability courts, problem-solving courts address specific needs and problems of offenders that, for one reason or another, could or were not satisfactorily addressed in traditional courts. Some of such matters include addiction issues, mental illness, and domestic violence. These courts aim to promote outcomes that will benefit all concerned parties; the offender, the victim, and society. Colorado problem-solving courts work toward striking a balance between several points of tension:
- Victim needs vs. offender rights;
- Therapeutic vs. retributive goals of justice;
- The desire to rehabilitate offenders vs. the need to protect members of the public
Colorado problem-solving courts share common traits such as:
- Evidence-based practices—Specialty courts adopt practices that have been tested in real-life scenarios and proven by broad research to be effective.
- Focus on outcomes—These courts are designed to provide positive case outcomes for offenders, victims, and society.
- Collaboration—Specialty court develop partnerships with external parties to achieve set goals
- Non-traditional roles—Courts and court personnel assume roles or processes not common in traditional courts. For instance, some specialty courts are less adversarial than standard criminal justice processing.
- Screening and Assessment—Identification of appropriate individuals for special court programs are based on screening and assessment tools.
Colorado specialty courts operate an integrated, team-based structure that holds participants accountable and helps in their recovery, unlike what obtains from the regular supervision and treatment. These problem-solving courts are special court dockets. Participants in a specialty court program participate voluntarily and agree to follow the laid-down rules of the specific programs. To achieve the goals of the specialty court programs:
- Probation officers or case managers closely supervise participants;
- Participates are tested for drugs or alcohol randomly and frequently;
- Participants are subjected to frequent home and probation officer/case manager visits;
- Participants are engaged in enhanced or intensive drug treatment, and other treatments deemed necessary;
- Participants are assisted in their compliance with efforts to achieve stability; and
- Participants must visit the court at least twice a week (However, this may vary depending on the participant’s progress in the court program)
Before a problem-solving court docket, the court team meets to discuss those appearing on the docket. This team generally includes;
- The judicial officer
- Probation officer
- Deputy district attorney or deputy public defender
- Substance abuse and mental health treatment provider
- Case manager
- The court coordinator
- Any other persons essential to the operation of the court (e.g., Guardian ad Litem, Child Support Enforcement Agency, Department of Human Services, Military Installations.)
During the meeting, and even before, the members exchange information concerning each person on the docket and discuss the participant’s compliance, successes, challenges, and other life circumstances that affect the participant’s progress. The team collaborates to adapt a joint response to the participant’s compliance or non-compliant behavior. In the course of the court session, participants receive incentives or sanctions based on their behaviors and conduct during the past fortnight or month.
A specialty court’s effectiveness is directly connected to the quantity and quality of information shared by the court team, the quality of treatment, the commitment and devotion of the team, the frequent contact with a compassionate yet resolute judicial officer, the random and frequent use of drug and alcohol testing, and the effective use incentives and sanctions. Positive outcomes are also engendered by collaboration between the city and the community in which the program occurs. Such collaborative activities include ancillary services such as housing, employment training and assistance, and financial aid. Specialty court programs may take up to two years or more to complete.
The contact information for the problem-solving courts are listed below:
ADULT DRUG COURTS
District: 1
Location: Golden
County: Jefferson
Coordinator: Tara Reinow
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: Denver
Coordinator: Jessica Currat
District: 3
Location: Trinidad
County: Las Animas
Coordinator: Josephine Harriman
District: 3
Location: Walsenburg
County: Huerfano
Coordinator: Josephine Harriman
District: 4
Location: Colorado Springs
County: El Paso/Teller
Coordinator: Andrea Sivanich
District: 5
Location: Breckenridge
County: Summit
Coordinator: Lisa Morton
District: 5
Location: Eagle
County: Eagle
Coordinator: Lisa Morton
District: 6
Location: Durango
County: La Plata
Coordinator: Lisa Roberts
District: 7
Location: Delta
County: Delta
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
District: 7
Location: Gunnison
County: Gunnison
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
District: 7
Location: Montrose
County: Montrose
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
District: 7
Location: Telluride
County: San Miguel
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
District: 8
Location: Ft. Collins
County: Larimer
Coordinator: Alison Newcomer
District: 9
Location: Glenwood Springs
County: Garfield
Coordinator: Valerie MacDonald
District: 11
Location: Salida
County: Chaffee
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 11
Location: Canon City
County: Fremont
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 12
Location: Alamosa
County: Alamosa
Coordinator: Shereen Gonzales
District: 12
Location: Ft. Morgan
County: Morgan
Coordinator: Tamara Alexander
District: 13
Location: Sterling
County: Logan
Coordinator: Dawn Gerk
District: 14
Location: Craig
County: Moffat
Coordinator: Stephanie Montgomery
District: 14
Location: Steamboat
County: Rout
Coordinator: Stephanie Montgomery
District: 16
Location: La Junta
County: Otero
Coordinator: Desiree Hermocillo
District: 17
Location: Brighton
County: Adams
Coordinator: Tasha Buettenback
District: 17
Location: Brighton
County: Adams
Coordinator: Jesse Cain
District: 18
Location: Centennial
County: Arapahoe/Douglas/Lincoln/Elbert
Coordinator: Mike Hernandez
District: 19
Location: Greeley
County: Weld
Coordinator: Heather Allen
District: 20
Location: Boulder
County: Boulder
Coordinator: Christina Orlowski
District: 22
Location: Cortez
County: Montezuma
Coordinator: Kacie Henderson
JUVENILE DRUG COURTS
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: Denver
Coordinator: Kylee Schroeder
District: 3
Location: Trinidad
County: Las Animas
Coordinator: C. J Montoya
District: 8
Location: F.T Collins
County: Larimer
Coordinator: Mathew Jackson
DUI COURTS
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: City and County of Denver
Coordinator: Lynn Unger
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: Denver District Court
Coordinator: Sarah Paliwoda
District: 3
Location: Trinidad
County: Las Animas
Coordinator: Josephine Harriman
District: 3
Location: Walsenburg
County: Huerfano
Coordinator: Josephine Harriman
District: 4
Location: Colorado Spring
County: El Paso/Teller
Coordinator: Erin Walker
District: 5
Location: Leadville
County: Lake
Coordinator: Lisa Morton
District: 5
Location: Eagle
County: Eagle
Coordinator: Lisa Morton
District: 8
Location: Ft. Collins
County: Larimer
Coordinator: Harry McCrystal
District: 11
Location: Salida
County: Chaffee
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 11
Location: Canon City
County: Fremont
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 12
Location: Alamosa
County: Alamosa
Coordinator: Shereen Gonzales
District: 13
Location: Ft. Morgan
County: Morgan
Coordinator: Tamara Alexander
District: 18
Location: Centennial
County: Arapahoe/Douglas/Elbert/Lincoln
Coordinator: Jon Gordon
District: 19
Location: Greeley
County: Weld
Coordinator: Kristin Owens
District: 22
Location: Cortez
County: Montezuma
Coordinator: Kacie Henderson
Additionally, there are hybrid court programs that serve both drug and DUI offenders - in the following locations:
District: 9
Location: Aspen
County: Pitkin
Coordinator: Valerie MacDonald
District: 7
Location: Telluride
County: San Miguel
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
MENTAL HEALTH COURTS
District: 1
Location: Golden
County: Jefferson/Gilpin
Coordinator: Kasha Swiatkowski
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: Denver
Coordinator: Kassie Snoblen
District: 6
Location: Durango
County: La Plata
Coordinator: Catherine Gervais
District: 8
Location: Ft. Collins
County: Larimer
Coordinator: Mathew Jackson
District: 10
Location: Pueblo
County: pueblo
Coordinator: William Varley
District: 11
Location: Canon City
County: Fremont/Park
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 18
Location: Centennial
County: Arapahoe/Douglas/Elbert/LIncoln
Coordinator: Melanie Pitkin
Juvenile mental health courts locations:
District: 1
Location: Golden
County: Jefferson
Coordinator: Nicholas Lurz
District: 17
Location: Brighton
County: Adams
Coordinator: Emily Housworth
FAMILY/DEPENDENCE AND NEGLECT DRUG COURT
District: 1
Location: Golden
County: Jefferson
Coordination: Kelli Sutton
District: 4
Location: Colorado Springs
County: El Paso
Coordinator: Ophelia Battista
District: 7
Location: Delta
County: Delta
Coordinator: Doug Hanshaw
District: 8
Location: Ft. Collins
County: Larimer
Coordinator: Harry McCrystal
District: 11
Location: Fremont
County: Canon City
Coordinator: Jodi Agnes
District: 12
Location: Alamosa
County: Alamosa
Coordinator: Shereen Gonzales
District: 13
Location: Sterling
County: Logan
Coordinator: Dawn Gerk
District: 13
Location: Ft. Morgan
County: Morgan
Coordinator: Tamara Alexander
District: 16
Location: La Junta
County: Otero
Coordinator: Desiree Hermocillo
District: 17
Location: Brighton
County: Adams
Coordinator: Emily Housworth
District: 19
Location: Greely
County: Weld
Coordinator: Heather Allem
District: 20
Location: Boulder
County: Boulder
Coordinator: Christina Orlowski
VETERANS COURT
District: 1
Location: Golden
County: Jefferson/Gilpin
Coordinator: Tara Rienow
District: 2
Location: Denver
County: Denver
Coordinator: Kassie Snoblen
District: 4
Location: Colorado Springs
County: El Paso/Teller
Coordinator: Kisten Born
District: 10
Location: Pueblo
County: Pueblo
Coordinator: William Varley
District: 17
Location: Brighton
County: Adams
Coordinator: Tasha Buettenback
District: 18
Location: Centennial
County: Arapahoe/Douglas/Elbert/Lincoln
Coordinator: Jon Gordon