An Integrated Theory of Specialized Court Programs

Specialized court programs have expanded beyond drug treatment to address issues such as mental health, domestic violence, veterans, and reentry through evidenced-based treatment. Although these programs have been successful at reducing recidivism, their lack of an overarching theoretical framework has limited generalizability to other offender populations and contexts. The purpose of this article is to present an integrated model for specialized court programs that incorporates therapeutic jurisprudence and procedural justice concepts. We argue that although therapeutic jurisprudence offers guiding principles, it lacks the ability to explain how these programs work to change offender behavior and perceptions. Procedural justice can provide this missing piece of the puzzle in understanding the effectiveness of specialized courts. We conclude with a discussion of directions for future research and practice that is guided by this integrated perspective.