Chairman, House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts
SPECIAL REPORT
June 2008
GUN COURTS
As part of our effort to evaluate the progress of problem-solving courts in Pennsylvania, I took the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts to the Philadelphia Gun Court. As I noted in recent Special Reports, the subcommittee is committed to promoting problem-solving courts, which are designed to address the underlying causes of crime.
PHILADELPHIA GUN COURT
Gun Court was established in response to the growing number of weapons offenses being committed in Philadelphia. The court was also established to address the inherent danger to the community when weapons are possessed on the streets illegally.
With the goal of reducing the number of illegal guns on the streets of Philadelphia, all gun cases where the most serious charge is a Violation of Uniform Firearms Act are consolidated onto one Common Pleas Court docket. The Gun Court hears cases including those involving people charged with carrying a firearm without a license; carrying a gun on a street or in a public place; and possession of a gun by a convicted felon.
By consolidating the cases onto one docket, Gun Court can consolidate and coordinate the efforts of numerous agencies to reduce illegal gun proliferation on the streets of Philadelphia. Prosecutors and other proponents of the Gun Court believe that because it focuses on people whose most serious crime is illegally carrying a gun, it will help prevent people from using a gun to injure or kill.
GUN COURT TOOLS
The Gun Court has numerous conditions and procedures that are tailored to its overall goals. There are pre-trial, trial and post-trial components that involve stringent conditions, intensive supervision and social service requirements. All of these facets of Gun Court make it a useful tool to more closely monitor the sentences imposed in gun cases.
The key, in my opinion, to the success of the Gun Court is the role of the Adult Probation and Parole Department’s (APPD) specialized caseloads. Defendants are assigned to the “Antiviolence” caseload of the APPD, which includes the Youth Violence Reduction Program and Safe Neighborhood Initiative. These programs involve intensive supervision and surveillance of offenders and a social service component.
Important to the success of Gun Court are enhanced special conditions of probation and parole for Gun Court cases. Among other conditions, offenders must have at a minimum weekly contact with probation or parole officers; increased random drug tests; firearms education; home visits; and anger management counseling.
RECIDIVISM REDUCED
I believe that the enhanced special conditions of probation and parole for Gun Court cases are leading to positive outcomes. Overall, Gun Court probationers are re-arrested at a lower rate than similar offenders were prior to the establishment of the Gun Court.
The Subcommittee on Courts will follow-up in a few months to monitor the progress of Philadelphia’s Gun Court. We will evaluate the possibility of recommending the establishment of Gun Courts in other Pennsylvania counties.
If you have questions about the above or any other state-related matter, please contact one of my offices.
DISTRICT OFFICE CAPITOL OFFICE
3880 Perrysville Avenue P.O. Box 202020
Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020
(412) 321-5523 (717) 787-5470 (412) 321-5517 fax (717) 783-0407 fax