Justice Joan Larsen announced last Thursday that the Michigan Supreme Court has awarded more than $3 million to 23 courts statewide to fund the operation of intense probation supervision programs. The Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program (SSSPP) targets high-risk felony offenders with a history of probation violations or failures. Follow-up analysis shows that participants in these programs are less likely to reoffend and more likely to find a job and improve their quality of life.
“Where other ‘probation-as-usual’ programs might have not worked for certain individuals, the swift and sure model promptly imposes graduated sanctions for probation violations, which sets up participants to successfully complete their probation, once and for all,” said Larsen, who made the announcement in Ingham County’s 30th Circuit Court during a graduation of three SSSPP participants. “The funding for these programs is vital to the courts and dedicated judges that operate them because it enables them to continue doing what they do best: saving lives, saving money, strengthening families, and building stronger communities.”
The most recent MSC Problem-Solving Court Report, “Solving Problems, Saving Lives,” shows that:
• Swift and Sure program graduates were 36 percent less likely to re-offend, as compared to the probation-as-usual group.
• Fifty-one percent of those who entered a program unemployed became gainfully employed, either part- or full-time, upon completion of a program.
• Participants had a lower percentage of jail sentences (13.7 percent) than the probation-as-usual group (21.6 percent).
The process of awarding the grants is highly competitive and funding is limited.
While they are not considered problem-solving courts because they do not require enrollment in treatment programs for substance abuse or mental health disorders, SSSPP performance is tracked by the Supreme Court, along with that of problem-solving courts, as part of a broader performance measures initiative to monitor court performance statewide. Data collected is used to identify and share best practices and to target areas that need improvement.
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Michigan Problem-Solving Courts—FY 2017 Grant Recipients
Swift & Sure Sanctions Probation Program:
2nd Circuit Court—Berrien County
3rd Circuit Court—Wayne County
5th Circuit Court—Barry County
8th Circuit Court—Ionia/Montcalm Counties
9th Circuit Court—Kalamazoo County
10th Circuit Court—Saginaw County
14th Circuit Court—Muskegon County
18th Circuit Court—Bay County
21st Circuit Court—Isabella County
29th Circuit Court—Clinton/Gratiot Counties
30th Circuit Court—Ingham County
35th Circuit Court—Shiawassee County
36th Circuit Court—Van Buren County
37th Circuit Court—Calhoun County
41st Circuit Court—Iron County
42nd Circuit Court—Midland County
43rd Circuit Court—Cass County
44th Circuit Court—Livingston County
45th Circuit Court—St. Joseph County
48th Circuit Court—Allegan County
49th Circuit Court—Mecosta/Osceola Counties
56th Circuit Court—Eaton County
57th Circuit Court—Emmet County
For additional information about these grant programs, visit www.courts.mi.gov/pscgrants.
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