The following guidelines have been developed by the American Council of Chief Defenders to increase both the fairness and the effectiveness of Problem Solving Courts, while addressing concerns regarding the defense role within them. They are based upon the research done in the drug court arena by pretrial services experts and others and the extensive collective expertise that defender chiefs have developed as a result of their experiences with the many different specialty courts across the country. There is not as yet, a single, widely accepted definition of Problem Solving Courts. For the purposes of these guidelines, Problem Solving Courts include courts which are aimed at reducing crime and increasing public safety by providing appropriate, individualized treatment and other resources aimed at addressing long-standing community issues (such as drug addiction, homelessness or mental illness) underlying criminal conduct.