PROPONENTS CITE BENEFITS OF DRUG, ALCOHOL COURTS

OSHKOSH -- Winnebago County Board members reacted with applause to a
proposal that would seek to lessen county correctional costs through drug
and alcohol treatment rather than fines or jail.

While local support is apparent, members of Winnebago County's Safe Streets
Initiative said there's a long road ahead before drug and alcohol courts
can be established in the county's court system.

Circuit Judge Scott Woldt and two members of the Dakota County, Minn., law
enforcement community met Tuesday night with the County Board to introduce
supervisors to the Safe Streets Initiative and seek support for a law
change that would allow for the establishment of a special alcohol court.

Safe Streets, which includes members of the local courts, law enforcement,
the County Board and other county agencies, hopes to establish both alcohol
and drug courts meant to deal with rehabilitation needs as well as punishment.

Drug courts generally operate with limited or no jail terms through
frequent court contact, regular drug testing and treatment. Judges often
use jail as a sanction for those who violate the terms of their program.

Goals of the courts include reducing immediate costs through lesser jail
populations and reducing future costs by lowering recidivism rates. Areas
with the programs have seen tremendous success, Woldt said.

Dakota County's population is more than two times that of Winnebago County,
while its average jail population is nearly 100 inmates fewer on a given day.

Anita Kennedy, a probation agent for Dakota County, said its programs of
treatment, random testing and bracelet supervision have changed people's
lives and reduced costs in ways the more common system of jailing couldn't.

"Our traditional responses on how to deal with these kind of offenders just
didn't work for us," she said.

Winnebago County could have a more difficult time establishing programs
than Dakota County did because Minnesota's drunken-driving laws differ so
greatly.

Woldt said the ground is being laid for the drug courts through new jail
programming, while the initiative is seeking grant money to fully establish
its drug court. A corresponding alcohol program can't be established until
state law is changed. In Wisconsin, judges cannot give probation in
drunken-driving sentences until a fourth offense. In Minnesota, judges have
probation on a first drunken-driving offense, said Phillip Drazkowski,
Dakota County inmate program director.

Supv. Donald Griesbach said the drug and alcohol courts would be of value
for the county to explore beyond the issue of cost-savings.

"If we can straighten out these lives and save money, we've accomplished
something," he said.