The Michigan Supreme Court has released its FY 2022 Problem-Solving Courts Annual Report, tracking the progress and highlighting the success of 207 problem-solving courts (PSCs) across Michigan from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022.
St. Joseph County has the 45th Circuit Adult Drug Treatment Court, 45th Circuit Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program, and 3B District Sobriety Court, which help justice-involved individuals in the community overcome underlying issues such as substance use disorder.
“Problem-solving courts exemplify how we are working to increase public trust and confidence in the judiciary through collaboration and compassion—an overarching goal of our Michigan Judicial Council,” said Justice Kyra H. Bolden, the PSC liaison for the Supreme Court. “What struck me the most about this report is that these pages are not just filled with numbers and milestones; they are filled with hope and humanity.”
Key report findings: Michigan’s adult drug and sobriety programs grew from 98 programs in FY 2018 to 109 programs in FY 2022.
- Graduates of adult drug court programs were, on average, more than three times less likely to be convicted of a new offense within three years of admission to a program.
- Sobriety court graduates who used an ignition interlock device were nearly five times less likely to be convicted of a new offense within three years of admission.
- Unemployment dropped by 88 percent for adult drug court graduates, 86 percent for sobriety court graduates, and 85 percent for hybrid court (drug/sobriety) graduates.
Problem-solving courts focus on providing treatment and intense supervision to offenders as an alternative to incarceration. These include drug and sobriety, mental health, veterans, and other nontraditional courts. The Supreme Court, through its State Court Administrative Office, assists trial court judges in the management of these courts by providing training, education, operational standards, monitoring, certification requirements, and funding.
