Mental Health Court Judges as Dynamic Risk Managers: A New Conceptualization of the Role of Judges

Although risk management has been studied in a variety of contexts, risk management has not been traditionally framed or analyzed as a function of the judiciary. This article examines how mental health court judges take on risk management functions. This article does not argue for or against judges taking on risk management functions but instead, attempts understand how risk management approaches by judges play a growing role in the criminal court process. I argue that mental health court judges are “dynamic risk managers.” Rather than simply processing cases and allowing criminal defendants with mental illnesses to cycle in and out of the criminal justice system, judges manage risk and simultaneously attempt to resolve the underlying mental illness and heal the defendant. Specifically, with the assistance of team members, including the public defender, prosecutor, behavioral and mental health specialists, and others, the judge performs three tasks: (1) she conducts a risk assessment in which he evaluates the defendant’s potential harm to himself and the public; (2) she evaluates and implements a treatment plan designed to manage and reallocate the defendant’s risk; and (3) she monitors the risk over a period of time often requiring frequent return visits by the defendant. Judges behave dynamically because they continually assess and adjust the management plan depending on how the offender is progressing. I show how this new conceptualization of the judge’s role affects how the criminal justice system processes defendants. When performing risk management, mental health court judges function as a hybrid social worker (diagnosing and implementing a plan) and probation officer (monitoring the offender to ensure compliance), focusing less on group characteristics and managing the risk of categories of people to effectuate incapacitation and other non-rehabilitative goals, and more on therapeutically intervening in each individual’s life. When functioning in its ideal form, the collaborative, team-oriented approach of mental health courts shifts focus of the criminal process toward healing and away from punishment

Pargi kasutamine Teheranis, Iraanis, Covid-19 pandeemia ajal

Master’s Thesis Curriculum in Landscape ArchitectureIn today's world, the definition of life has a different meaning for people. Time and place have found a new purpose, and in urban life, people have forgotten many elements, including public green spaces, parks, etc. But the argument here is how a person can stay healthy in those conditions. Especially in big cities one can see how much people try to have a quality life. Suddenly, a catastrophe occurs that affects the whole process of human life and activities. Covid-19 has increased people’s attention to low-value spaces (especially in large cities). In contrast, humans now use these spaces (such as green spaces and parks) as a point of need for continued mental and physical health and stress relief. This thesis is about studying parks in Tehran and their use in Covid-19 conditions and their function. For this purpose, I looked at 14 different parks (urban, local, and neighbourhood or pocket parks). The selection was the result of online interviews conducted with 60 residents of Tehran. For this research these parks have been visited virtually. Their maps and locations have been examined based on interviews in the following cases: vegetation, accessibility, safety, quality of the public area, activities, potentials, and user's perception during Covid-19. As a result, their values are compared. The worst and best cases (parks) are selected—all places evaluated in detail, such as history and their role in society in the Covid-19 situation. In the end, I will give the best recommendation for parks and public green spaces, the purpose of which is the health and well-being of the city's residents in the particular situation.Tänapäeva maailmas on elu määratlusel inimeste jaoks teine tähendus. Aeg ja koht on leidnud uue eesmärgi ning linnaelus unustusse jäänud paljud kohad, sealhulgas avalikud haljasalad, pargid jne. Siin on aga küsimus- kuidas inimene saab sellistes tingimustes tervena püsida? Eriti suurtes linnades on näha, kui palju püüavad inimesed kvaliteetset elu elada. Järsku siseneb võrrandisse katastroof, mis mõjutab kogu inimese elu ja tegevust. Covid-19 on suunanud inimeste tähelepanu väheväärtuslikele ruumidele (eriti suurtes linnades). Inimesed on leidnud tihedamat kasutust nendele (näiteks haljasaladele ja parkidele) pideva vaimse ja füüsilise tervise ning stressi leevendamiseks. See lõputöö vaatleb Teherani parke ja nende kasutamisest Covid-19 tingimustes ning nende funktsioone. Sel eesmärgil vaatasin 14 erinevat parki (linna-, kohalikke ja naabruses asuvaid või taskuparke). Nende valim on 60 Teherani elanikuga läbi viidud veebiintervjuude tulemus. Uurimistöö käigus on neid parke külastatud virtuaalselt. Nende kaarte ja asukohti on intervjuude põhjal analüüsitud järgmistel teemadel: taimestik, juurdepääsetavus, ohutus, avaliku ala kvaliteet, tegevused, potentsiaalid ja kasutaja taju Covid-19 ajal. Selle tulemusel võrreldakse nende väärtusi. Valitakse halvimad ja parimad juhtumid (pargid) - kõiki kohti hinnatakse üksikasjalikult, näiteks ajalugu ja nende rolli ühiskonnas olukorras Covid-19. Lõpuks annan parima soovituse parkidele ja avalikele haljasaladele, mille eesmärk on linnaelanike tervis ja heaolu konkreetses olukorras