The Healing Practice of Law in Action: Mental Health in Problem Solving Court By Emily Blitzer, CFCC Student Fellow (2018-2019) The Baltimore City Mental Health Court (“BCMHC”) operates within the confines of the Baltimore City District Court system, but its purpose is to provide meaningful justice to criminal offenders with mental health issues. A brief…
By Ashley Sewell, CFCC Student Fellow 2014-2015 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, most commonly known as PTSD, is usually associated with combat veterans. Many people are not aware that PTSD can affect children and teens, as well. Children and teens could develop PTSD if they have lived through an event that could have caused them or…
By Corinne Kirkland-Mercedes, CFCC Student Fellow 2013-2014 The United States has the highest incarceration rates of any country in the world. According to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (“NAACP”), 1 in every 31 adults or 3.2 percent of the population is under some form of correctional control. To me these numbers…
CFCC’s 2012 Urban Child Symposium (UCS), entitled “The Urban Child in the Juvenile Justice System: The Beginning or the End?,” focused on the juvenile justice system. Symposium panelists identified several priorities for juvenile justice system reform (more information is in the Unified Family Court Connection Winter 2013 Issue, which featured articles from several UCS presenters):…
By Rexanah Wyse, CFCC Student Fellow 2012-2013 Through the CFCC Student Fellows Program, I was afforded the opportunity to learn how the integration of therapeutic jurisprudence, the ecology of human development, and problem-solving courts work together to impact children and their families. Problem-solving courts attempt to address the underlying problem that is responsible for the…
By Catherine Villareale, CFCC Student Fellow 2012-2013 Courts struggle with effective ways to deal with individuals whose mental health issues lead to criminal behavior. This is especially true for courts responsible for adjudicating juvenile delinquency. Childhood exposure to violence can impact children’s social and emotional development. It has been linked to poor social functioning and…