Left to Right: Jay Hill, Ret. Circuit Judge Mary McGowan, Hon. Thomas Smith, Charlotte Bogan, Marty Sullivan, Hon. Troy Braswell, Hon. Melissa Richardson, Hon. Chief Justice John Dan Kemp, Secretary Putnam, Hon. Charles Baker, Hon. Spencer Singleton, Hon. Milas 'Butch' Hale, Daniel Shue, Jerry Bradshaw
Not Pictured: Hon. Chaney Taylor, Senator Ben Gilmore, Representative Carol Dalby, Thomas Fisher
The Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee was created by The Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2015.
The Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee (SCPAC) consists of the following members: the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; the Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts; three (3) circuit court judges who preside over an adult specialty court; one (1) circuit court judge who presides over a juvenile specialty court; three (3) district court judges who preside over a specialty court; the Director of the Department of Community Corrections; the Director of the Department of Human Services; the Director of the Division of Behavioral Health Services; a prosecutor; a public defender; a member of the Senate; a member of the House of Representatives; and the Arkansas Drug Director.
2023 Committee Members
- Hon. John Dan Kemp, Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court, Chair
- Marty Sullivan, Director of the Administrative Office of the Courts
- Hon. Melissa Richardson, Circuit Judge
- Hon. Spencer Singleton, Circuit Judge
- Hon. Thomas Smith, Circuit Judge
- Hon. Troy Braswell, Circuit Judge
- Hon. Charles Baker, District Judge
- Hon. Milas 'Butch' Hale, District Judge
- Hon. Chaney Taylor, District Judge
- Jerry Bradshaw, DOC - Director of the Division of Community Corrections
- Kristi Putnam, Director of the Department of Human Services
- Jay Hill, DHS - Director of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services
- Daniel Shue, Prosecutor
- Charlotte Bogan, Public Defender
- Ben Gilmore, Senator
- Carol Dalby, Representative
- Thomas Fisher, Drug Director
The SCPAC meets quarterly and was established to promote collaboration and provide recommendations on issues involving adult and juvenile specialty courts. The committee is tasked with designing and completing comprehensive evaluations of the aforementioned programs as required by A.C.A. 16-10-139 and also evaluates and produces findings concerning all specialty courts operated by a circuit or district court in the state. Furthermore, the committee is responsible for the establishment, implementation, and operation of uniform specialty court evaluation processes to ensure resources are directed to high-risk, high-need offenders. These processes also certify that the specialty courts provide effective practices to reduce recidivism and unmanaged behavioral health disorders.
Chief Justice John Dan Kemp serves as the chair of the committee.