Bipartisan Bill Proposes Upgrades To Pennsylvania’s Treatment Courts
Anyone who has ever visited a prison as part of a volunteer program or religious ministry can tell you of how the people serving prison sentences wish that things had gone differently and have thought about the sequence of events that led to their crime, arrest, and conviction. When they listen, the inmates tell them about the lack of social support that they never had, and in many cases, that they never knew that they needed until it was too late, and they were already facing criminal charges. The court system has realized that people first become involved with the criminal justice system not because of a desire to harm others but because of problems which are bigger than they are and that have gotten out of control. Therefore, Pennsylvania has established many court dockets which provide pretrial intervention programs that enable successful participants to emerge without a criminal record. Pennsylvania Senators have recently introduced a bipartisan bill that would expand and streamline Pennsylvania’s treatment courts, which aim to help defendants struggling with substance use disorder, mental illnesses, domestic violence, and more. To find out more about treatment courts and how they can help you avoid a criminal record if you are being accused of a crime, contact a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer.
When Illegal Actions Are a Symptom of a Treatable Problem
Title 42 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes establishes problem-solving courts, the purpose of which is to address the underlying problems that led to the defendants brought before the courts being arrested. For example, offenses such as drug possession, trespassing, or petty theft are often symptoms of larger problems such as addiction, homelessness, poverty, or domestic violence. Most of the defendants have long belonged to vulnerable groups, such as military veterans or young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. Currently, various jurisdictions in Pennsylvania have drug courts, mental health courts, sex offense courts, veterans’ courts, DUI courts, and domestic violence courts. When a defendant enters a problem-solving court, he or she completes a probation-like program that involves participation in social services such as mental health counseling, addiction treatment, training for jobs, and applying for stable housing, to name just a few possibilities. If the defendant fulfills the requirements of the program and stays on the right side of the law for its duration, the court drops the charges that originally got the defendant sent to the problem-solving court.
In the News
In 2025, Pennsylvania Senators Lisa Baker and Amanda Cappelletti introduced SB 475, which proposes amendments to Title 42. It would consolidate the programs variously known as problem-solving courts and treatment courts. If the bill passes, they will all be known as treatment courts and will be subject to a uniform certification process.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for an offense related to drug addiction, mental illness, or homelessness. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Sources:
alleghenycourts.us/criminal/departments/problem-solving-courts/
citizensvoice.com/2025/04/20/capitol-digest-bill-introduced-to-modernize-expand-treatment-courts/
