Jamie Rowen Authors New Research Article in Law & Social Inquiry

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Jamie Rowen, legal studies and political science, has published an article based on 84 interviews with Massachusetts treatment court judges and staff in the summer of 2020 to create the first comprehensive account of how treatment courts responded to state shutdowns. The findings illustrate how these courts buffered and innovated to respond to the pandemic and, in the process, personnel shifted their understanding of surveillance and sanctions.

"Beyond moderating the impact of the pandemic and shutdown, courts were able to innovate with new ideas and practices related to virtual hearings and treatments, which many saw as beneficial beyond the shutdown. These strategies challenged taken-for-granted assumptions about what makes treatment courts effective, particularly the role of surveillance and sanctions," writes Rowen. 

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