The Adult Treatment Court in Oakland County seeks to break the cycle of addiction that leads to criminal behavior through intense Court supervision and participation into various recovery and counseling services. There is also a separate program for juvenile offenders in Oakland County as well.
In order to graduate from the program, the participant must complete 4 different stages. Stage 1 takes 16 weeks to complete, and the remaining stages are for a minimum of 12 weeks per stage. The reward for completion of the program, beyond the hopeful recovery and abstinence of the participant, is the avoidance of additional incarceration (including prison in many instances otherwise) and the ability to move forward with a successful, fulfilling, and productive life.
During the 4 stages of the program the participant serves a minimum of 2 years of probation. As part of this probation the participant must: comply with all treatment court rules and probation conditions; submit and pass all ordered drug and alcohol tests; remain drug and alcohol free; stay out of trouble; attend treatment sessions as directed; make payments toward fees, costs, and restitution as directed; attend bi-weekly review hearings; attend AA or NA meetings; maintain employment or continue with education; comply with mental health treatment (if applicable); provide proof of compliance with all aspects of the Adult Treatment Court.
Not every person with a criminal case in Oakland County is eligible for the Adult Treatment Court. To qualify the Defendant must: be an Oakland County resident; the charge must be a non violent or non sexual related offense; the Defendant must not have any pattern of violent or sexually deviant behavior; there must be no current drug delivery or drug manufacturing cases. The participant must be at risk for a prison sentence based upon his or her sentencing guidelines, however the person is excluded from the program if his or her sentencing guidelines do not allow for an Oakland County Jail sentence. The fee to participate in this program, outside of the cost for counseling and mental health services, is $150. The sentencing Judge must also approve of the Defendant’s participation in order to qualify for the placement. Potential candidates for the Adult Treatment Court are prescreened by a the Adult Treatment Court team, which consists of a Defense lawyer, a Prosecutor, a Probation/Community Corrections Representative, and a Judge. The Probation department often makes a recommendation for the Adult Treatment Court as part of a presentence investigation report which the sentencing Judge considers prior to imposing sentence.
Good conduct is rewarded by the Adult Treatment Court program through praise, applause, bus fare, gift certificates, etc. Violations of the Adult Treatment Court program can result in sanctions, such as incarceration or community service work. The Adult Treatment Court team recognizes that relapse is sometimes part of the recovery process. However, continuous violations of the rules of the program, or serious violations (new criminal activity, bring drugs into a halfway house, etc.), will often lead to a violation of probation. A conviction for probation violation, in many instances, leads to a prison sentence. The Adult Treatment Court program is not recommended for person that do not have the maturity, desire, or ability to meet the strict requirements of the program.
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