Concerned Citizens and a City Criminal Court

• NCJ Number: 70000
• Author(s): Anonymous
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 52 pages
• Corporate Author: Royal Oak Municipal Court
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The Royal Oak, Michigan, program of probation and rehabilitation through citizen participation in the lower court process is discussed; historical development, services, and volunteers are emphasized.

Abstract

In the early 1960's the municipal court had no money or professional personnel to rehabilitate defendants charged in the lower court with so-called 'lesser crimes.' Royal Oak asked its citizens to give of themselves in an effort to rehabilitate offenders and thus to protect society. As a result, creative experience in the use of volunteers in the lower court process began. Over 500 citizens donated whatever they could. Today the probation department furnishes services estimated at $300,000 a year on a $17,000 a year budget from the city and $6,000 from private contributors. They have given the court over 20 different rehabilitative techniques to meet the complex problems with which the court must deal successfully. Participants include retired citizens, teachers, counselors, businesses, businessmen, coaches, housewives, and many others. The program was organized and directed by a judge. To date, well over 100 volunteers participate; they are screened by the probation department personnel and a staff counselor. The mainstream of the program flows through professional counselors whose caseloads are about 18 each. An average active caseload numbers approximately 550. Volunteers and counselors meet on a regular basis to discuss mutual cases. Services provided to offenders include psychological and psychiatric help, assignment to a work detail program, employment counseling, Alcoholics Anonymous support, and spiritual rehabilitation. Program effectiveness is indicated by the fact that only about 6 percent of probationers have been found guilty of a crime in Royal Oak or have left the State without permission while under supervision. Materials included in the report are illustrative case summaries, related correpsondence, a chart of services, and description of Project Misdemeanant.