A Court Where the Emphasis Is On Treatment, Not Jail

Summary

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In the court system's struggle to deal with defendants who have both mental illness and substance abuse problems, Baltimore City District Judge Charlotte M. Cooksey has found a method she believes really works.

Cooksey runs the city's mental health court, a docket for defendants with mental illness or post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental health courts, like drug courts, are considered "problem- solving courts," meaning that they focus on addressing the problems that are causing the defendant's criminal behavior.

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A Court Where the Emphasis Is On Treatment, Not Jail

In Baltimore, mental health court is limited to defendants who have committed relatively minor crimes, such as prostitutio...

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