Category VII: Supporting Problem-Solving Courts

The Recovery Act Edward Byrne Memorial Competitive Grant Program (Byrne Competitive Program) will help communities improve the capacity of state and local justice systems and provide for national support efforts including training and technical assistance programs strategically targeted to address local needs. This competitive grant announcement focuses on initiatives in eight areas: 1) preventing and reducing violent crime through community-based data-driven approaches; 2) providing funding for neighborhood-based probation and parole officers; 3) reducing mortgage fraud and crime related to vacant properties; 4) hiring of civilian support personnel in law enforcement (training staff, analysts, dispatchers, etc.); 5) enhancing forensic and crime scene investigations; 6) improving resources and services for victims of crime; 7) supporting problem-solving courts; and 8) national training and technical assistance partnerships.

Under category 7, Muskegon County will be awarded $500,688 to provide a DWI Sobriety Court program serving 125 participants per year to divert both jail and prison sentences. The goal of this project is to provide a coordinated, family-centered approach to substance abuse services by integrating the judicial system with community resources to improve public safety, reduce the cost of recidivism, divert jail and prison sentences, and increase accountability of those involved in criminal activity. Major deliverables under this project include: retaining and hiring staff/positions to maintain the program; reducing the cost of criminal activity through reducing jail admissions and the average length of stay for the target population; increasing coordination of effective rehabilitation services for eligible participants; reducing drug-related probation violations for eligible participants; and communicating with the Muskegon County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, incorporating all specialized programming such as Sobriety Court, Jail Diversion, and Community Re-Entry programs in conjunction with innovative pilots including the County Jail Learning Center program, and the HUD XML Pilot.

CA/NCF