Drug Crime and the Criminal Justice System: The Situation in the State of Michigan and Cities of Detroit and Adrian
Highlights
GAO assessed drug crime and its impacts on criminal justice systems, focusing on Michigan state and local officials' current steps to address drug crime. GAO noted that: (1) in 1988, Detroit metropolitan area drug crime arrests increased to 11,000, up 156 percent over 1985; (2) in 1988, statewide drug crime arrests increased to 27,000, up 70 percent over 1985; (3) increased drug arrests increased judicial and treatment center work loads; (4) jail and prison facilities had become more overcrowded, and half were over their capacity; (5) one county was releasing 900 inmates weekly because of a court order prohibiting overcrowding; (6) to alleviate overcrowding problems, various jurisdictions established probation programs for nonrepetitive offenders; and (7) Michigan had developed various prison alternatives.