Improving Rural Courts: A Networking Approach

The Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Program: National Initiatives, administered by the Office of Justice Programs' (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), furthers the Department's mission by assisting state and local jurisdictions in improving the criminal justice system and assisting communities in preventing drug abuse and crime. In FY 2008, the program will focus on funding local, regional, and national efforts within five major categories: 1) preventing crime and drug abuse; 2) enhancing local law enforcement; 3) enhancing local courts; 4) enhancing local corrections and offender reentry; and 5) facilitating justice information sharing.

The Justice Management Institute will implement the Improving Rural Courts: A Networking Approach Project under Category 2: Enhancing Local Courts. They will conduct two regional seminars for rural court managers and administrators. The seminars will focus on information technology, self-represented litigants, substance abuse and mental health treatment, indigent defendants and court-appointed attorneys, and other problems confronting rural courts. The seminars will be open to approximately two dozen local-level trial court judges, court administrators and clerks, as well as state court administrators and deputies. The Justice Management Institute will improve rural judicial operations and the administration of justice and strengthen the independence of the judiciary in case decision-making. As innovative approaches or promising practices are identified in the course, descriptions will be posted on the Justice Management Institute website.

CA/NCF