Problem-Solving Courts; established, report. (HB1630)

Introduced By

Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge) with support from co-patron Del. Mark Keam (D-Vienna)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Problem-Solving Courts; established. Establishes the Problem-Solving Court Act(the Act). The bill allows the establishment of problem-solving courts as specialized court dockets within the existing structure of Virginia's court system, offering judicial monitoring of intensive treatment and supervision of offenders who have special conditions and needs based on military service, mental illness, or societal re-entry. The bill establishes a state problem-solving court docket advisory committee and requires localities intending to establish such courts to establish local advisory committees. The Supreme Court of Virginia is given administrative oversight for the implementation of the Act. The Act is modeled on the Drug Treatment Court Act ( 18.2-254.1). Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/08/2015Committee
01/08/2015Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/15 15102024D
01/08/2015Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
01/13/2015Assigned Courts sub: Criminal Law
01/26/2015Subcommittee recommends laying on the table
02/10/2015Left in Courts of Justice

Comments

Safer Virginia writes:

Offenders who have special conditions and needs based on military service, mental illness, or societal re-entry, including sex offenders - most of whom will be labeled publicly for life as violent by the Commonwealth, should receive the treatment that permits them to function in society and the supervision that leads to a safer Virginia.

Findings from a study of 320 inpatients at a community-based state psychiatric center revealed 50 individuals (16%) with sexually inappropriate behavior, 54% of whom had an arrest for a sexual offense; 34% had sexual offending behavior in the community but no arrest history; and 12% had sexually inappropriate conduct only in the hospital.

Rotter, Merrill, MD. "Sexual Offenders With Mental Illness: Special Considerations for a Special Population." Sexual Offenders With Mental Illness: Special Considerations for a Special Population. Psychiatric Times, 1 Sept. 2007. Web. 17 Jan. 2015.