TREATMENT PROGRAM PLANNED FOR ADDICTED INMATES

Dane County Jail inmates with drug and alcohol addictions might soon get
intensive treatment, rather than just jail time.

County officials on Monday announced a $611,000, one-year pilot program for
50 jail inmates to undergo treatment for 30 days, followed by six to nine
months of monitored follow-up care once they are released.

The proposal is part of County Executive Kathleen Falk's 2003 budget, which
she will give to the County Board today.

"We think this can make a difference in our county," Falk said. "We need to
keep people from leaving the jail with the same problems, knowing that they
might re-offend."

About half of the inmates serving sentences at the Dane County Jail have
one or more drunken driving charges. Nationally, about 60 percent to 80
percent of inmates in county jails are addicted to alcohol or other drugs,
according to a study the county had commissioned earlier this year as part
of the 2002 budget.

Under the plan, jail medical staff would screen sentenced inmates and
determine candidates for the treatment program, which is voluntary. Inmates
would attend a treatment center during the days and return to jail at night
for 30 days.

Once completed, the inmates would be released on electronic monitoring for
six to nine months of community-based care. It's that monitoring after
being released from jail that's most important to staying drug and alcohol
free, said Sheriff Gary Hamblin.

"We think the follow-up care provided in the model is extremely important,"
he said.

While Hamblin and District Attorney Brian Blanchard backed the program,
Hamblin said the move won't help alleviate the crowding at the jail. On
Monday, 50 Dane County inmates were housed in other county jails.

Last year, Falk recommended a 300-bed treatment facility, rather than
adding floors to the Public Safety Building. She said more information
about such a proposal might be released today during a press conference to
unveil the budget proposal.

Falk is also proposing more money for Drug Court, a program in which
offenders are sentenced to complete drug and alcohol treatment, in lieu of
jail time. Under the proposal, an additional 15 people a year can go
through the program, which now allows about 110 people to receive treatment.