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Treatment court program focuses on rehabilitation

Treatment court program focuses on rehabilitation Treatment court program focuses on rehabilitation

It is not common to hear the judge in a courtroom leading a round of applause for a defendant.

Except, of course, if you are in the Taylor County Courthouse during a hearing of the drug treatment court.

With its focus on rehabilitation, breaking cycles of substance abuse and sobriety as a day by day journey, the treatment court program relies on evidence-based studies that show positive reinforcement has more effective outcomes than piling on punishments.

According to treatment court coordinator Wendy Ness, Taylor County’s drug treatment court program has been in place since 2013 with the county receiving a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Since it began, 56 individuals have taken part in the program. Of those individuals 41 have successfully graduated from the program.

District attorney Kristi Tlusty explains there were a variety of reasons some of the participants did not graduate from the program. Some simply took longer to reach their goals than the program allows. Others found the intensive level of checks and supervision too much to handle.

“It is much more intensive supervision,” Tlusty said. The participants must meet regularly with a case manager, attend group meetings and have individual therapy sessions. In addition, all participants are randomly tested for use of drugs or alcohol. “Each has to call in every morning and they are told if they have to go in for a test that day,” Tlusty said.

She said this level of supervision is much more intensive than regular probation.

Since the program began, only five of the graduates have had a new offense since their graduation date.

“In order to be effective we need them to be honest and open,” Tlusty said.

Judge Knox-Bauer describes this as working to change their criminal thinking. “They are used to hiding information from law enforcement,” Knox-Bauer explained. In order for the program to work, they need to see law enforcement and the courts as being on the same side and building trust.

They explained that there are many steps in the rehabilitation process and goals along the way. As part of the program, offenders must meet requirements such as maintaining employment, paying their fines, completing their jail sentences and staying sober. The program recognizes that the path to success often has setbacks along the way.

Which is why achievements are celebrated with applause and a chance to win small prizes. “We have been taught that for every one negative there should be four positive points made,” Ness explained.

Not every drug offender is eligible to take part in the program. Typical qualifiers must be on their second, third or fourth OWI, are a county resident and who had a blood alcohol content of .15 or above.

“We are focusing on high-needs, highrisk- to-reoffend individuals,” Tlusty said.

Again, relying on the science and the research-based findings her office screens offenders to see who would be most likely to benefit from the program. Based on the research, a key for the potential success of the program is “striking while the iron is hot” and approaching people about being in the program when they have hit rock bottom.

The drug treatment program participants are each charged a $200 fee to participate in the program with it taking a minimum of 14 months but typically 18 to 24 months to complete.

“It is a very new way of thinking about the response to criminal offenders,” Tlusty said, noting that it is also done with an eye to getting the best use of the taxpayer money to get a positive result.

“Our goal is long-term change,” Knox-Bauer said.

In the regular court hearings, which have the tone of checking up on progress checks, the individuals in the district attorney’s office, the courts and the probation office get to know the participants as individuals.

“It is conversational, not confrontational,” Knox-Bauer explained.

At the same time, the participants learn to view the court personnel as being people and not wanting to let them down by failing to achieve set goals.

During last week’s treatment court session, one participant talked about finally finding steady work, but how adjusting to third shift is a challenge resulting in him being late to a therapy session.

Another talked about his excitement for getting out of jail and how he has not missed an Alcoholic Anonymous session and doesn’t plan to stop.

“Where do you see yourself in a year?” Knox-Bauer asked a third participant.

“Sober. Hopefully making my life better little by little,” he replied.

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