In this episode of Justice Speaks, we continue our series with State Drug Court Coordinators through an interview with Ms. Kaylee Dickenson, the State Drug Court Coordinator for West Virginia. This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.

Ms. Dickenson begins by detailing her early career in corrections at the Southern Regional Jail and Beckley Correction Center, experiences that laid the foundation for her transition into probation—a role that first introduced her to Treatment Courts. In her capacity as a probation officer, she engaged with treatment-focused justice by attending the State Drug Court Conference and managing adult Drug Courts in Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties. Her accomplishments in these counties and her commitment to therapeutic justice led to her promotion as a Treatment Court evaluator, where she oversaw evaluations for Family Treatment Courts and then to State Drug Court Coordinator. In her role, Ms. Dickenson ensures that Treatment Courts across all 55 West Virginia counties adhere to best practice standards, providing tailored feedback and guidance to enhance each court’s impact on participants and the broader community.

A key theme in her discussion is the systematic approach to treatment court coordination in West Virginia. Ms. Dickenson elaborates on her role in organizing the State Treatment Court Conference, a biennial event funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance that delivers essential training and resources to judges and probation officers statewide. This conference, which is free for attendees, serves as a platform for knowledge sharing on emerging best practices and evidence-based approaches. Working closely with an educational committee, Ms. Dickenson is involved in all aspects of conference planning, ensuring that treatment courts remain informed about the latest advancements in supporting participants.

In this episode of Justice Speaks, we return to the field of Therapeutic Jurisprudence, interviewing Dr. Yasuhiro Maruyama, a distinguished professor of criminal justice at Rissho University in Tokyo.

Dr. Maruyama begins by recounting his early academic interests and his first exposure to Drug Courts in the United States. His initial study of Drug Courts as a young student led him to the U.S., where he observed problem-solving courts firsthand. In the U.S., he formed bonds with notable figures in the field, including JSI Co-Founder Judge Peggy Hora whom he affectionately considers his “American mother.” Her mentorship helped shape his dedication to understanding the application and impact of Therapeutic Jurisprudence globally.

The discussion then shifts to Dr. Maruyama’s areas of focus within Japanese criminology, including the contrasting policies Japan employs toward criminal punishment and support for vulnerable populations. He describes what he calls a “bipolarization” in Japan’s criminal justice system, where harsh penalties coexist with newer rehabilitative measures aimed at helping individuals such as juveniles, the elderly, drug users, and those with developmental disorders. Despite these advancements, Dr. Maruyama notes a significant lack of support for these populations, especially when compared to treatment-oriented approaches in other nations.

Dr. Maruyama also discusses Japan’s unique “lay judge” system, where citizen judges participate alongside professional judges in serious criminal cases. Unlike jury systems in the United States, Japanese lay judges help determine both guilt and sentencing. He notes that Japan’s judicial philosophy emphasizes punishment based solely on past actions, contrasting with the U.S., where preventive detention may be applied. This approach, influenced by historical experiences from World War II, prioritizes punishment only after crimes have occurred, reflecting Japan’s commitment to avoiding preemptive punitive measures.

This episode of Justice Speaks highlights a important initiative by the United States Department of Justice, specifically through the Office of Justice Programs, to reduce crime. In this episode, we interview Judge Karen Friedman (Ret.), Director of Criminal Justice Innovation, Development, and Engagement for the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.