Swift & Sure

Van Buren County Swift & Sure Sanctions Probation Program (SSSPP)

Program Description

The Van Buren County SSSPP is an intensive community supervision probation program focusing on high-risk felony probationers. The program goal is to increase compliance with probation terms by imposing certain, swift, and consistent sanctions for probation violations. The program mission is to reduce recidivism and protect public safety. The program term is a minimum of one year but at the discretion of the Judge that term can be extended.

The program is a coordinated effort among various community entities and a Memorandum of Understanding has been enacted with the following community stakeholders:

  • 36th Circuit Court
  • Van Buren County Prosecuting Attorney
  • Defense Bar President
  • Van Buren County Sheriff
  • MDOC Supervisor
  • Community Mental Health SUD Director
  • Community Mental Health Director

Target Population

The target population for the program includes offenders with the following characteristics:

  • Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions (COMPAS) assessment score of medium or high
  • Not currently charged with an ineligible offense as defined by MCL 771A.6(3)

Identification of Potential SSSPP Participants

SSSPP will be comprised of two tracks, a probation violation track and a sentenced track.

Participants sentenced to the program as a condition of a probation violation sentence will comprise the probation violation track. These individuals will be identified by their assigned Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) Agent who will complete the program Referral and Screening Eligibility Form, submitting the completed form to the court with the required attachments. At the probation violation hearing, the Judge will make the final decision on program admission.

Participants sentenced to the program as a condition of a probation supervision term will make up the sentenced track. MDOC will identify eligible candidates who fall within the target population during the Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) report and will complete the program Referral and Screening Eligibility Form. At sentencing, the Judge will make the final decision on program admission. The Prosecuting Attorney has veto power for any defendant referred where admission to the program is a downward departure from sentencing guideline scores.