The judicial branch of government is charged with preventing tyranny by the majority and with protecting the constitutional right of individuals. Yet, compliance with the law depends to a substantial degree upon public respect for the courts and the perceived legitimacy of the judicial process. Court and community collaboration enhances public confidence in the courts in two major ways. Recognition and Relevance. Through collaboration courts become recognized as local institutions that are relevant to the concerns of the ordinary citizen.
Residents have a concrete connection to the court system.
In recent decades, the courts of most urban and many rural areas have become distant from the public, both physically and psychologically. The public lacks a sense of connection to the court system. Judges are becoming less prominent members of the community. Equally important, courts are viewed as irrelevant to solving the problems of the greatest concern to most citizens the breakdown of social and family support networks. Collaboration promotes recognition of the court s contribution to the community and underscores it relevance to community life.