(Photo/Jayden Vann)
“It’s time to wake up.” The words of Lansing resident Erika Beard are a call for action against the substance use epidemic, a long-lasting public health crisis in the area. Erika herself was a victim of car theft, and her reflection on the situation compelled her to appear in court on Tuesday, February 6, to speak about the personal hardships she has suffered since the beginning of 2024, when her vehicle was stolen by an individual with substance use disorder.
Despite having her vehicle reclaimed, Beard noted that the emotional fallout did not end upon its return. This strife, she explained, coupled with the pain of watching individuals with the disorder complicate their own lives and those of others, is what pushed her to appear at the court.
It is not usual to see victims of drug-related violence using their life experiences in court to demand change. Erika’s choice to speak up against the issues with substance abuse in her community comes in response to a unique form of alternative probation, known as Drug Court.
This initiative, housed in the heart of the East Lansing 54-B District Court, aims to serve the Greater Lansing community by decreasing the likelihood of substance abusers returning to the streets. The program comes in response to increasing demand for the safety of people caught in the turmoil, including children, law enforcement officials and community members. Started in 2016, the project is headed by the probation oversight division of the 54-B District Court.
This program features four different phases or treatment stages that an individual with substance use disorder must go through before advancing forward. Each phase lasts roughly 4 months and helps to measure the progress made towards recovery. As one nears stage 4, restrictions are loosened, but only with ample evidence of the individual’s growth and independence from substances.
The aftermath of actions contributed by those battling addiction and misuse of controlled substances can yield dangerous, even fatal repercussions, and has thus prompted the development of programs like the Drug court. These initiatives aim to maintain safety throughout Michigan streets and reduce the number of people arrested and recidivated for drug-related behaviors.
Beard, a victim of the reckless actions of A.L1., spoke out about the need for change.
“It’s getting bad, and we need to make things better,” Beard stated. “Any program is a start. We need to try to live better.”
Maria Taylor, Chief Probation Officer and Treatment Court Coordinator, described the Drug Court as fundamentally distinct from other types of treatment institutions.
“It is much more intensive than traditional probation,” she said. “It helps not just the individual, but the families, the communities. It has that bigger reach.”
Featuring inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, and intensive outpatient treatment, the Drug Court is dedicated to helping individuals find new methods for handling their stress without reliance on substances.
“You don’t just quit, you have to address everything else,” Taylor asserted. “The program is 100% participant-driven. We want them to investigate and do some reflection of what were your triggers and why did you use.”
Additionally, the unique approach to sanctioning sets the Drug Court further apart from its institutional counterparts. Namely, at Drug Court emphasis is placed on reflection and praise for milestones, rather than exclusively on punishment.
“Coming in and seeing a judge twice a month makes them a little nervous. Because before seeing a judge meant they were in trouble,” Taylor added. “Coming from a judge, that praise does a lot. Because they have only seen judges for negative stuff for years. Praise from a judge is important; it does wonders for them. Nobody has told them good job in a long time.”
Arianna Leigh, Peer Coach for the Probation Oversight Division of the Drug Court, described her experience following completion of Sobriety Court, the sister institution to Drug Court.
“I realized that the praise and commending, I had never heard that. I’d been told I was a druggie and an alcoholic. That there was no hope for me. That I had no future,” Leigh recalled. “It felt important to hear from authority figures who cared about me and didn’t just see me as a number.”
By redirecting the way that the legal system interacts with those battling substance abuse, it is hoped that the treatment courts can contribute to a reduction in crime rates at the local level and help families in the community remain whole and healthy.
Lifestyle data retrieved from the Bureau of Substance Abuse and Addiction Services division at the Michigan Department of Community Health has revealed that treatment programs for controlled substances are partially effective in reducing the chance of arrest for members of the addiction community. Based on these numbers, programs like the one created by the probation oversight division of the 54-B District Court were created.
(Graph/Michigan Department of Community Health)
Just four years prior to the Drug Court’s founding, data from a 2012 fiscal year review by the Michigan Department of Community Health revealed that the decrease in arrests reached 48.9% following discharge for individuals subjected to treatment of substance use disorder.
“The whole idea is that we’re trying to save jail space for those who need it,” said Taylor, of the Drug Court’s role in helping reduce arrest rates. “A person who needs recovery doesn’t need a jail bed.”
This means that, with the implementation of the Drug Court program, and programs like it, Michigan is another step further on its path to lower arrest rates — and safer streets — statewide.
But first, modifications must be introduced at the city level.
According to Leigh, the Drug Court program pushes for its patients to “not just be sober,” but “to modify [their] entire thinking process.”
It is the goal of the program to continue lowering the criminal activity rate for drug offenders at the misdemeanor and felony level.
This is accomplished through introduction of direct treatment, emphasis on individual accountability, and judicial regulation.
“The whole key for individuals in the Drug Court program is to identify people with substance use disorder, and how it ties into whatever their crime is,” said Taylor. “Changing thinking patterns, noting triggers, addressing traumas that might be involved with why they are using substances.”
J. B., an active participant of the Drug Court, explained that the program helps to promote self-reflection and awareness of the consequences of one’s actions for themselves and others. He further described the program as a significant component of his new life, and the life he wants to make for himself.
“It’s not about incorporating the program into your schedule, but incorporating your daily routine around the program,” J.B. noted. “Drug Court probation has to trump everything in your life.”
The program offers J.B. and other participants the opportunity to make meaningful changes in their lives.
“It’s the only way that I stay free,” he added. “This program has to stay at the forefront. It’s just a much more purpose-driven life.”
Beard, who is still healing from the damage inflicted by A.L., noted that the program itself is not enough, despite its usefulness.
“The program is there but won’t follow him every day. Every night. He has to change. Something has to wake him up.”
Beard’s experience demonstrates the importance of the program in not merely offering a short-term change in the lives of its enrollees but also promoting changes to their mindsets and lifestyles in the long term.
“I’m not mad. I’m not upset,” Beard added. “He wasn’t in his right mind.”
The Drug Court is grounded in inspiring deep reflection in those that participate in its services. Participants receive coaching, guided advice, and detailed tasks like reflection-based assignments to push them to address the major challenges in their recovery.
“Right here is a lesson for him,” said Beard. “Hopefully this program is different and does help him to see that he’s doing bad stuff.”
Beard further noted that she is hopeful that the program will help A.L. and other enrollees to recognize the impact of their actions on others and make the appropriate changes to reduce damage to innocent individuals caught in the crossfire.
The Drug Court workers have also recognized their participants’ potential to redirect their lifestyles and choices.
“If he channels this in the right way, there will be nothing he will not be able to accomplish as long as he stays sober,” said Leigh, of J.B.’s remarkable turnaround since enrolling in the program.
And the same is hoped for future enrollees of the program.
Moving forward, Taylor emphasized the importance of spreading the word about programs like the Drug Court, which foster a more treatment-driven approach to the typically condemned trouble faced by people with substance use disorder.
“The problem is a lot of these programs are grant funded, so the next steps are just sustainability,” said Taylor. “If u don’t have the funding, how are you going to maintain these programs?”
With word reaching more members of the community, there is hope that the program can be expanded, and new institutions can be added to help replicate the positive results of programs like this in other areas in need of intervention beyond simple confinement.
“The Lansing area does not have a women’s facility where a female could take the child to. That’s a big hindrance for this community.”
A hindrance that, with proper coverage, could be overcome as more organizations see the transformative power of these institutions and offer funds to ensure that more people get the chance to receive the care that is truly needed to reshape their lives.
Taylor maintains that, with more graduates of the program going out into the community and speaking out, potential for state-wide change will continue to increase, giving more people a fair shot at recovery.