Biography
For the past year, Valerie Raine has served as a consultant in criminal justice to the Center for Court Innovation, the Federal Judiciary Center, and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. Previously, she served as the Statewide Drug Court Coordinator for the NYS Unified Court System from 2014 – 2017 when she retired. In that capacity, she assisted in the development and operation of drug treatment courts throughout New York. From 2000 to 2014, she served as director of drug treatment court projects at the Center for Court Innovation, where she provided training and technical assistance to drug courts across the country. From 1996 to 2000, she served as project director of the Brooklyn Treatment Court, where she helped develop and manage New York City's first drug treatment court. She is a past president of the New York Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals and is a former member of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. Ms. Raine created and taught a course on problem-solving justice at Fordham Law School, has served as faculty for the National Drug Court Institute, and presented on drug treatment courts at numerous conferences for more than 20 years. From 1982 – 1996, she worked at the Legal Aid Society, Criminal Defense Division in Kings County, where she was appointed attorney-in-charge in 1994. Ms. Raine is a graduate of Hunter College (1977) and the University of Virginia School of Law (1982).