9th Judicial Circuit Court

Adult Men and Women's Drug Treatment Court

The Men's and Women's Drug Treatment Court Programs divert nonviolent felons, with substance abuse problems, from incarceration in jail and/or prison. Participants also include Department of Corrections' probationers who are sentenced to the program as a condition of probation or as probation violators, or as parole violators. Participants are given an opportunity to become involved in substance abuse treatment and to comply with other requirements such as attending bi-weekly court sessions, submitting random urinalysis samples, and reporting to program staff. They must also follow up on referrals made to other community agencies, which may include the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Housing Resources, Maternal Support Services, the YWCA Sexual and Domestic Assault Programs, Goodwill Industries, and others. In order for a defendant to participate in the Men's or Women's Drug Treatment Court Programs, the defendant must enter a guilty plea to the charge(s). The defendant is represented by counsel during the plea process and may file a motion to set aside and dismiss the plea upon successful completion of the program. Defendants may also be sentenced to the program for a new offense, or upon a probation or parole violation. The Women's Drug Treatment Court Program, one of the first in the nation, was established in 1992. The Men's Drug Treatment Court Program was established in 1997.  To date, the programs have graduated nearly 1000 participants.

Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program

The Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program (SSSPP) is an intensive probation supervision program that targets high‐risk felony offenders with a history of probation violations or failures. Governed by MCL 771A.1 et seq., SSSPP is modeled on Hawaii's Opportunity Probation with Enforcement (HOPE) Program, which studies have shown to be very successful in improving the rate of successful completion of probation among high‐risk probationers. SSSPP participants are closely monitored, including being subjected to frequent random testing for drug and alcohol use and being required to attend frequent meetings with probation and case management staff. SSSPP aims to improve probationer success by promptly imposing graduated sanctions, including small amounts of jail time, for probation violations. The 9th Circuit Court implemented the SSSPP in May of 2013.

Family Treatment Court

Family Treatment Court is located within the Family Division of the 9th Circuit Court, 1536 Gull Road, Kalamazoo, MI 49048. The Family Treatment Court is a court devoted to cases of child abuse and neglect that involve substance abuse by the child's parents or other caregivers. Its purpose is to protect the safety and welfare of children while giving parents the tools they need to become sober, responsible caregivers. To accomplish this, the court draws together an interdisciplinary team that works collaboratively to assess the family's situation and to devise a comprehensive case plan that addresses the needs of both the children and the parents. In this way, the court team provides children with quick access to permanency and offers parents a viable chance to achieve sobriety, provide a safe and nurturing home, and hold their families together. The program welcomed its first participant in February 2009.

Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program

The Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program is a post‐adjudication program for non‐violent juvenile offenders who have been assessed with substance abuse problems contributing to delinquent behavior. The program is located within the Family Division of the 9th Circuit Court and program components include frequent drug testing, substance abuse and mental health treatment, intense court supervision, attendance at bi‐weekly status review hearings and support groups, payment of restitution, community service and education/employment requirements. Participants progress through four phases of incrementally reduced program requirements and supervision, as sobriety and engagement in drug free activities is maintained. The Juvenile Drug Treatment Court is a family focused program, which requires parental involvement in the juvenile's treatment and recovery. Sanctions and incentives are applied to encourage, motivate and support drug free and crime free behavior.

Juvenile Mental Health Treatment & Recovery Court Program

In May 2016 9th Circuit Court welcomed the first participant into the Treatment & Recovery Court which is located within the Family Division of the 9th Circuit Court. Mental health courts were modeled after drug treatment court and developed in response to the overrepresentation of individuals with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system. Kalamazoo recognized this overrepresentation in the juvenile population and the need to serve juveniles with serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or a developmental disability. A team of court staff and a mental health professionals work together to develop treatment plans and supervise the juvenile in the community. Juveniles appear at regular status hearings during which incentives are offered to encourage adherence to court conditions, sanctions for nonadherence are handed down, and treatment plans and other conditions are periodically reviewed for appropriateness. The 9th Circuit Court Treatment & Recovery Court is one of only 6 juvenile mental health courts in the State of Michigan.