Annual reports shows success of problem-solving courts

The Michigan Supreme Court has released its fiscal-year 2022 Problem-Solving Courts annual report, tracking the progress and highlighting the success of 207 problem-solving courts across Michigan from October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

Melissa Bliss, St. Joseph County’s director of community corrections, said St. Joseph County is fortunate to have the 45th Circuit Adult Drug Treatment Court, 45th Circuit “Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation” program and 3B District “Sobriety Court,” which helps justice-involved individuals by helping them overcome underlying issues such as substance use disorder specific issues.

Bliss said key findings from the report include: 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; and unemployment dropped by 88 percent for adult drug court graduates, 86 percent for sobriety court graduates and 85 percent for hybrid court.