Shadid helped create Seattle’s community court in partnership with the King County Department of Public Defense and the Seattle City Attorney’s office. The aim of the court is to try to break the cycle of poverty and crime by connecting people with housing, substance use counseling, health care, employment opportunities and more, rather than putting them in jail.
In addition to working with case managers, community court participants can be required to perform community service and pay restitution. “It is holding people accountable; we’re just taking a different tact in how to help people exit the criminal legal system,” said Shadid.
Seattle’s community court is one of several to open
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