CASSOPOLIS — Cass County Fourth District Court announced Thursday that its request for grant monies to initiate Adult Drug Treatment Court succeeded.
This specialty court is an evidence-based, problem-solving court, with a focus on intensive community supervision to protect public safety and to ensure program compliance.
The drug court approach keeps nonviolent offenders in treatment long enough for it to work through frequent and random drug testing, swift and appropriate responses for program compliance or non-compliance and regular appearances before Judge Stacey Rentfrow, where they are held accountable for meeting their obligations to the court, society, themselves and their families.

Extensive planning
Implementation of this specialty court has been the result of planning and training efforts in concert with the U.S. Bureau of Justice, the State of Michigan Court Administrative Office and the Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Cass County District Court is currently operating a Sobriety Court and the addition of an Adult Drug Treatment Court is based on 20 years of research and evidence finding that this approach is the most effective justice intervention for treating drug-addicted people, resulting in reduced drug use and crime.
Judge Rentfrow said, “We are all aware of the need to protect society and hold the defendant accountable, but we often do so without focusing on effecting long-term change in that person so they do not re-offend. The long-term change piece is very important because 85 to 95 percent of addicted prisoners relapse upon release from jail and engage in behaviors that endanger the innocent members of society.”
National statistics show that 75 percent of defendants who successfully complete a drug court program never see another pair of handcuffs.
For every $1 invested in drug courts, taxpayers save $3.36.

Collabortive efforts
Cass County Sobriety Court and Adult Drug Treatment Court are the fruits of a collaborative effort between  Cass County District Court, Cass County Circuit Court, Cass County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, Cass County Public Defenders, Cass County Office of the Sheriff, Michigan Department of Corrections, Cass County Community Corrections and the Cass County Jail.
“This group recognized the need for a more involved approach in the supervision and treatment of addicted individuals. Prosecuting and incarcerating the same individuals over and over again does not address the addiction which in turn does not reduce recidivism,” Rentfrow said.
Cass County Sobriety Court is currently in operation. Its continuation is possible with grant monies awarded by the State of Michigan Court Administrative Office and the Office of Highway Safety Planning.
Cass County Adult Drug Treatment Court is possible with grant monies awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, a component of the Office of Justice Programs.