NEW PROGRAM TO HELP SUBSTANCE ABUSE ADDICTION CRIMES IN THE COMMUNITY

SARANAC, Mich. - A new program is in the planning and pilot stage in
the Eighth Circuit Court system, with a goal to help individuals find
an alternative way to seek treatment and help.

The program is a drug court, which serves individuals post-sentencing
who are diagnosed with a substance abuse addiction and a felony charge.

"(We) are looking at this as a possible and certainly a diversionary
program, with the assistance from the (drug court) team, to divert
individuals who may be on track for prison," said Eighth Circuit Court
Judge Suzanne Kreeger, who is spearheading the drug court initiative.

The individuals that the drug court is focusing on in this phase are
those who are prescription abusers, as well as Oxycontin and
methamphetamine abusers.

"We are seeing a lot of crimes repeated due to drug addictions, and
studies are showing there is an initiative country-wide that
involvement with drug courts is appearing to be an effective means of
addressing that underlying problem," said Kreeger. "Just given the
devastating impact that addictions have had on our community,
certainly we are going to be a safer community."

The drug court team includes representation from the Ionia County
Health Department, the Ionia County Community of Mental Health, Ionia
Department of Public Safety, the Ionia County Prosecutors Office,
Department of Human Resources, Relief After Violent Encounters,
defense attorneys and a probation agent who specializes in substance
abuse problems.

"We have a very competent and diverse team that is willing to come
together and put their expertise into this," said Kreeger. "I'm
excited about the opportunity and think we can be very effective."

Through a grant, the drug court was able to hire a coordinator for
Ionia and Montcalm counties to help support the new program.

"I am really excited that we have just recently hired a drug court
coordinator," said Kreeger. "The coordinator will help us establish
the structure and the funding mechanism that we need to maintain (the
drug court)."

During the planning and pilot phase, team members have gone to Berry
and Eaton counties where there are established drug courts.

To utilize the drug court, the individual has to give up certain
rights for the immediate sanctioning of the program.

"It's a different approach where people waive their rights to be
involved in the program," said Kreeger. "They give up their rights to
full probation violation hearings, and agree to immediate sanctions as
the team sees fit by the judge."