The Role of the Judge as a Team Leader

An effective team has a number of ‘building blocks’ including clear objectives, balanced roles, and effective communication.  It must also have good processes for making, implementing and reviewing decisions. An effective team has appropriate leadership creating an atmosphere that allows for experimentation and openness. The subject matter of this training will be partially driven by the attendees in combination with the JSI instructors and partially driven by National and Colorado Best Practice Standards.

Judge Brian MacKenzie (Ret.) and Chief Mack Jenkins (Ret.) will discuss evidence-based best practices for team composition, evidence-based roles of team members, participation in staffing sessions and review hearings, and communication and decision-making. The critical role of the judge is discussed in additional detail. Judicial ethics and Due Process Rights will also be reviewed. Interactive discussions, role playing, and break out scenarios will be used to assist the attendees in understanding the role of the judge as the team leader.

The presenters will lead discussions on:

• The Ten Key Components of Drug Courts;
• Team composition;
• The purposes of a staffing meeting;
• The judicial role in leading a staffing discussion;
• Effective communication during staffing;
• Setting expectations for, and modeling how, staffing sessions for Specialty Courts should operate;
• Ethical issues for judges;
• Multidisciplinary team practices; information sharing before and after staffing sessions;
• Information to be covered in staffing for each participant; and,
• Implementing appropriate incentives and sanctions within Due Process requirements.