Courts

Therapeutic Courts

Community Court

The mission of the Spokane Municipal Community Court is to build stronger and safer neighborhoods by providing accountability with help for individuals involved in the criminal justice system to reduce and properly address quality-of-life offenses by utilizing a collaborative, problem-solving approach to crime. Community Court endeavors to hold participants accountable, address factors impacting participants’ criminal behavior, provide access to local resources, address victim needs, and increase public confidence in the criminal justice system.

Spokane Community Court strives to achieve these goals by utilizing a problem-solving approach, with a strong emphasis on building collaborative partnerships within the criminal justice system, and among government agencies, social service providers, and community groups. Community Courts recognize that low level, non-violent offenses impact both individuals and the community at large. If not addressed, quality-of-life crimes can erode community order, lead to neighborhood decay, and create an atmosphere where more serious crime can flourish.

The accountability component ensures that community service projects are performed in the neighborhood where the crime occurred. The help/assistance component is also community-driven, as local resources provide wraparound services to address underlying problems and challenges that lead individuals to commit crimes, so as to provide lasting solutions and reduce recidivism.

Community courts also adopt procedural justice and restorative justice standards. Procedural justice research has shown that when defendants and litigants perceive the court process to be fair—exhibiting respect, understanding, neutral decision-making, and helpfulness—they are more likely to comply with court orders and to follow the law in the future, regardless of whether they “win” or “lose” their case.

This is a comprehensive program consisting of various rehabilitative services, such as behavioral health counseling, housing, healthcare, education, employment, etc. that will help improve quality of life for participants, their loved ones, and the society at large. Community courts assist participants in achieving self-sufficiency and becoming responsible members of the community. The community service projects put specific emphasis on environmental improvements and neighborhood revitalization.

Individuals do not need to be involved with the criminal justice system before taking advantage of the resources available at Community Court. Community members wishing to assist are encouraged to serve as mentors, volunteers, and providers of services. We strongly believe that community-driven solutions will help build a better community.

Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment Court

The mission of the Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment Court is to support participants in their recovery and assist them in changing their behavior towards family and intimate partner relationships, to hold them accountable as necessary to further those two goals, and to protect victims and the community from further abuse or future violent crimes.

Mission

The goals of the City of Spokane Domestic Violence Intervention Treatment Court are to:

Provide treatment focused primarily on ending the violence, holding the perpetrator accountable for his or her violence, and changing his or her behavior.
Hold participants accountable for re-offense and noncompliance following policies and procedures.
Provide victim services where viable.
Follow a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation through interagency collaboration, victim advocacy, and non-adversarial treatment strategies.
Increase the participants likelihood to complete treatment and other conditions of probation while protecting the safety and confidentiality of victims and reducing negative collateral consequences to victims.

DUI Court

The mission of the Spokane Municipal DUI Court is to help repeat DUI offenders by bringing about a change in behavior that will end DUI recidivism, stop the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and protect the public. This will be accomplished by utilizing a non-adversarial team approach, enhanced supervision, the use of best practices, and customized treatment plans that support offender rehabilitation, self-efficacy and individual accountability.

Mental Health Court

Spokane Municipal Mental Health Court is operated in concert with the Spokane County District Court.

For additional information, including the screening process and forms, please visit the Spokane County Mental Health Therapeutic Court page.

Veteran's Court

City of Spokane's Veteran's Court is a collaboration of numerous agencies: the Court, the VA, the Public Defender's Office, the Prosecutor's Office, the Probation Department, and many other community partners. These agencies, working together, have established a viable option for a select group of offenders whose needs are better met through treatment intervention rather than incarceration.

The mission of the City of Spokane Veteran's Court is to provide an interagency, collaborative, non-adversarial treatment strategy for veterans involved in the criminal justice system while holding them accountable and reintegrating veterans into the community.

The goals of the City of Spokane Veteran's Court are to:

Increase community/public safety and awareness.
Reduce participant contacts with the criminal justice system.
Reduce costs associated with criminal case processing and re-arrest.
Introduce participants to an ongoing process of recovery designed to help them become stable, employed and substance free while continuing mental health care through community/peer counseling groups or the VA