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Door County Treatment Court begins in October

Door County is picking up on a trend seen across the region as it prepares to roll out its version of Drug Treatment Court. Department of Health and Human Services Director Joe Krebsbach says that the new system will try to fix a problem associated with more traditional criminal justice. A wall exists that doesn’t allow for courts to see the complete picture. Mental illness and criminality are often tied closely to substance abuse, so a solution requires a combination of a legal and care aspect in many instances. The project has been years in the making, with input provided from various community organizations. Krebsbach says treatment court is evidence-based, and they will be poring over the data, tweaking the process where necessary for over a year before it begins handling a full caseload.

 


All participants will be forced to plead guilty or no contest to be eligible for the program. Any probation granted would have enrollment in treatment court as a condition, and the process could last up to two years, according to a press release. Krebsbach says treatment courts have proven effective in jurisdictions as close as Brown County. He knows they don’t work wonders, though, and relapses are to be expected. He says breaking away from addiction is a long-term challenge. The full release can is below.

 

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After nearly three years of planning, training, and fund raising, the Door County Treatment Court will begin operations in October, 2020. The mission of the Treatment Court is to use an evidence-based judicial process to enhance public safety and restore sober, productive, and law-abiding citizens to the community.

 

Treatment Courts are built upon a unique partnership between the criminal justice system and the treatment community, one which structures treatment intervention around the authority and personal involvement of a single Treatment Court Judge.  Treatment Courts are also dependent upon the creation of a non-adversarial courtroom atmosphere where a single Judge and a dedicated treatment court team of court officers and staff work together toward a common goal of breaking the cycle of drug abuse and criminal behavior.  Currently there are more than 90 treatment courts in Wisconsin alone, with many more in states across the county.  

 

The creation of the Treatment Court in Door County has been a collaborative process among various stakeholders, including the Judiciary, Law Enforcement, the Department of Health and Human Services, The Department of Corrections, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Public Defender’s Office. Funding for the Treatment Court was made possible by Door County and by grants from the State Department of Justice.

 

The Treatment Court will focus on eligible offenders whose criminal behavior is associated with ongoing, habitual substance use. All participants must plead guilty or no contest to their charges and then agree to be placed on probation, with participation in Treatment Court as a condition of probation. It is expected that participants will be in the program between 14 months to 2 years. Any unsuccessful participants will be returned to court for sentencing.

 

The Treatment Court is not designed for every offender. Violent persons, sex offenders, and enterprising drug dealers are not eligible. Only offenders with a high risk of recidivism and who have a substantial substance use disorder will be eligible. As such, the Treatment Court is a tool to be used in appropriate cases to enhance public safety and to provide effective rehabilitation.

 

 

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