The Journal for Advancing Justice

Volume I was published in May 2018 and features six scholarly articles containing cutting-edge findings from the largest multi-site studies conducted to date on disparities in treatment courts. In addition, outcomes are reported from experimental and quasi-experimental evaluations of culturally proficient interventions designed to neutralize barriers faced by some racial and ethnic groups in treatment courts and blunt the piercing impact of racial discrimination and implicit cultural biases. Confronting this critical issue head-on, Volume I provides critical insight into how treatment courts and the broader justice system can meet their most basic obligations to ensure justice for all persons and achieve their highest aspirations.

Volume II was published in July 2019. It acknowledges some of the very real barriers justice professionals face in deploying clinical best practices in legal settings for justice-involved persons with opioid use disorder, and addresses the profound, misguided and sometimes institutionalized lack of understanding about medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It provides a range of articles, written by both clinicians and justice professionals, that examine thoughtful clinical and legal strategies to enhance outcomes, provide insight into perspectives of and barriers to MAT, and review recent legal precedents that may have far-reaching effects on future criminal and legal cases.

Volume III was published in January 2021. It addresses programs and interventions designed to assist individuals with mental health and substance use disorders who come to the attention of law enforcement and community corrections programs. It also analyzes community supervision practices in an effort to contribute to the research on effective strategies for probation, parole, and pretrial supervision programs. Through a range of articles written by both researchers and practitioners, this issue provides insight and analysis to assist field professionals and scholars alike in identifying promising programs and interventions as well as areas that require further investigation to solidify them as best practices.

Volume IV was published in July 2022. It evaluates the impact of several strategies to improve outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system through community corrections, including opioid intervention courts, peer recovery specialists, post-incarceration housing, jail sanctions, and HIV education. In addition to furthering research on these strategies, this volume calls for broadening collective understanding of substance use and mental health disorder recovery. Through a range of articles written by both researchers and practitioners, this issue provides insight and analysis to assist field professionals and scholars alike in identifying promising programs and interventions as well as areas that require further investigation to solidify them as best practices.