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HAZEL PARK — The 43rd District Court in Hazel Park has launched a new program that aims to find a more constructive approach to handling nonviolent offenders addicted to drugs or alcohol.
The “treatment court” approach includes adult offenders charged with driving while intoxicated and other offenses, helping them sober up without time behind bars.
Judge Brian Hartwell presides over the program, which is inspired by a similar initiative by Judge Joseph Longo at the 43rd District Court in Ferndale.
In state statutes, the term “DWI,” or “driving while intoxicated,” is used interchangeably with “OWI,” or “operating while intoxicated.” Hartwell said that both refer to the influence of alcohol, controlled substances or any intoxicating substance, including the misuse of prescription drugs or any combination of alcohol, drugs and prescriptions.
The treatment court employs a mix of regular judicial reviews, rigorous probation oversight, treatment strategies and additional support services to rehabilitate offenders without prison time, aiming to keep them sober. It involves a collaborative approach between the judge, probation officer, treatment provider, prosecutor and defense counsel.
According to Jessica Godwin, the district court’s chief probation officer, individuals facing a misdemeanor charge for drunken driving or operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, will first undergo a substance abuse assessment and clinical evaluation to develop a tailored treatment plan.
She explained there are five phases to the program, focused on stabilization, planning, routines, healthy habits and long-term recovery. Each individual receives a peer recovery coach and a case manager, and each phase is expected to last 90 days, although the duration of each phase may vary from person to person. A team at the treatment court will evaluate each person’s progress and advise the court when they should advance to the next step. The judge then makes the final decision.
“We are providing 18 months of accountability and support to our neighbors who want to overcome their dependence on drugs or alcohol,” Hartwell said in an email interview. “We are setting long-term goals, expecting people to stumble. We will hold them accountable, but the courtroom will also be a place of reward and celebration as participants accomplish stabilizing goals in their lives — for example, completing their education, maintaining sobriety, and finding employment.”
Godwin noted that the peer recovery coaches have undertaken similar journeys in their lives, and can relate to individuals going through the rehabilitation process.
“These meetings are designed to facilitate your recovery by providing access to a professional who has personal experience with addiction and recovery,” Godwin said.
A treatment provider is also assigned to each person, guiding them through the program and making sure they receive a tailored treatment program. The treatment court will be collaborating with the Alliance of Collations for Healthy Communities, offering a 10-week recovery support and education initiative.
Then, in the later stages of the program, the treatment court will implement monthly events such as financial literacy classes or health and wellness workshops, the goal being to encourage productive lifestyles and community engagement.
The treatment court is an example of what the state calls “problem-solving courts,” which are programs for nonviolent offenders with underlying issues such as substance use disorder or a mental health diagnosis that causes them to run afoul of the law. The State Court Administrative Office provides such programs with funding, operational support and resources, state certification, training and performance metrics.
According to a state report evaluating the efficacy of problem-solving courts in fiscal year 2023, graduates of adult drug court programs were, on average, four times less likely to be convicted of a new offense within three years of admission to the program.
For sobriety court program graduates, the average was more than three times less likely to reoffend within three years, and of those, individuals using ignition interlock devices were five times less likely to reoffend within three years.
Unemployment rates also dropped by 88% for both sobriety court graduates and hybrid drug/sobriety court graduates.
Andy LeCureaux, a member of the Hazel Park City Council, praised the concept.
“I think it goes along with the co-responder concept at the Police Department, where we call upon mental health specialists to help people experiencing a mental crisis,” LeCureaux said. “I have long been of the belief that a drug addiction should be treated and is most effectively treated as a medical condition rather than a criminal condition. It’s not the cause. It’s often the symptom of other things going on in their life. So if treatments or other services are available, you can break the cycle.”
He said that simply locking up offenders can cause more problems than it solves.
“Keeping them out of jail helps them become a productive member of society. If you just imprison them, they could lose their job, lose their house, lose everything because of what is actually a medical condition. It hurts them, and it hurts their family. And there is a huge cost (to taxpayers) when incarcerating even a single person,” LeCureaux said. “So this program is a good step in the right direction. I applaud the judge for implementing this.”
