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Jail

Law’s Michael Benza discusses specialty courts' alteratives to incarceration

Media | August 23, 2026 | Story by: Editorial Staff
Media Expert: Michael Benza

Jail didn’t break the cycle. Can treatment? Inside Cuyahoga County’s experimental mental health and drug court

cleveland.com: Michael Benza, professor of practice at the School of Law, said specialty courts offer an alternative to incarceration by addressing the mental health and addiction issues underlying criminal behavior. While judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys generally view the programs positively, Benza noted that research on their effectiveness remains mixed and more evidence is needed. 

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