Court Services
Kent County Courthouse
180 Ottawa NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(616) 632-5350
Fax (616) 632-5339
Mission Statement
The mission of the Court Services Department is to plan, develop, and administer quality, cost-effective alternatives to incarceration for appropriate defendants/offenders which enhance the effectiveness of the local criminal justice system, and thereby serve the needs of the Courts and Kent County’s residents. Court Services include pretrial screening and assessment, pretrial supervision, community service programs, and diversion.
Goals and Statistics
The management and staff of this department are committed to serving the needs of the Courts and the people of Kent County by focusing on five primary goals:
- Assist the Courts in meeting the Michigan Court Rule 6.106 requirement concerning the release of pretrial defendants on bond.
- Provide court-ordered pretrial supervision to monitor compliance of bond conditions and court appearances for defendants released into the community.
- Provide data to the local criminal justice system for the purpose of assisting in the management of the jail population.
- Provide sentencing alternative within the community with the purpose of saving jail and prison beds.
- Provide services to divert cases from the local criminal justice system.
Pretrial Release Services
Screening and Investigation
Pretrial Population at Kent County Correctional Facility (County
Jail)
Kent County Average Daily Population: 1,033
Cases Screened in 2007
Fast Track Cases
Under this program, individuals who are arrested and taken to the jail are evaluated by Court Services staff for pretrial release with little or no lodging at the jail. Candidates for possible Fast Track release are carefully screened and are given a court appearance date before release.
368 defendants were found eligible for Fast Track services during 2007. Of those released, only 6% failed to appear for arraignment.
Supervised Release
Supervised Release Cases Closed 2007
Community Service Work Programs
Placements at Non-Profit Organizations
Total Placements for 2007: 3,228
Individuals who have had a face-to-face interview with our staff, received their orientation, signed their agreement form, and have been assigned to work at a worksite in the community.
Hours of Work Performed for the Community in 2007
Total Hours in 2007: 184,119
Community Service Cases Closed
Total Number of Cases Closed: 2578 Regular Court Services and 567
Work Crew.
Data Collection, Analysis and Distribution
Jail Bed Reports
Each week detailed reports describing the breakdown of the jail population by sentenced and unsentenced beds are provided to each District and Circuit Court Judge, Department of Corrections, and Family Division Juvenile Court. These reports indicate the number of occupied jail beds by each judge and each court. The reports are also used as a planning tool at monthly Jail Bed Allocation Committee meetings. Thanks to the cooperation of the Judiciary, Sheriff's Department and the various departments within the Kent County criminal justice system, we continue to successfully manage the number of jail beds, and have averted jail over-crowding emergencies.
In 2007, 1,500 reports were generated and distributed to the Judiciary and key departments throughout the Kent County criminal justice system.
