FALK WANTS JAIL ALTERNATIVE FOR DRUG, ALCOHOL CASES

Instead of housing inmates who have drug and alcohol problems at the
Dane County Jail, the county executive wants to create another
facility to treat abuse problems.

County Executive Kathleen Falk is hoping the treatment facility will
be an alternative to expanding the crowded Dane County Jail.

Falk announced her proposal Tuesday as part of her 381.6 million 2002
budget, which will be debated by the County Board during the next two
months.

"Too many people in our jail are there because they abuse alcohol or
other drugs," Falk said. "Too many are released without having
changed that destructive behavior."

Falk is proposing 250,000 for a study by outside consultants to be
completed by July 1, and about 750,000 for the specific design of the
facility and program.

Falk didn't have a final price tag or give an exact definition of
what she'd like to see built. It could be a 300-bed facility run by
either the jail or the county Human Services department.

Dane County Sheriff Gary Hamblin has been pushing for three
additional jail floors at the Public Safety Building, which would add
600 beds. On Tuesday, the jail had 1,048 inmates, far over the
maximum 942 capacity.

In the proposed budget, Falk did not include Hamblin's request for
2.74 million for architect's drawings of an estimated 40 million jail
addition.

"I'm disappointed because it doesn't do anything to address an
immediate need. It's another year's worth of studies," Hamblin said.
" I don't know that a lot of thought has been put into this."

Circuit Judge Daniel Moeser said the idea has merit although he said
it's not always easy to sentence a person to a treatment facility
instead of jail time. Many offenses, including drunk driving, have
mandatory minimum jail requirements.

"There's no secret that a huge number of people who end up in jail
have drug and alcohol problems," Moeser said.

He said that it will take careful screening to send inmates to a
treatment program instead of a traditional jail.

"People don't want to do a tough program," Moeser said. "You really
have to offer them an incentive."

Moeser said the county needs to take a balanced approach to adding
jail space and creating jail diversion and treatment programs.

"We always have that option in the future," Falk said of adding jail space.

Falk said the county has a chance to help people with alcohol and
drug problems.

"Making jail inmates deal with their drug and alcohol abuse is the
right thing to do for three reasons," Falk said. "It protects the
public. It turns lives around. And it saves taxes."