Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jan 2006
Source: Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, WI)
Copyright: 2006 Eau Claire Press
Contact: http://www.cvol.net/contacteditor.htm#editorform
Website: http://www.leadertelegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/236
Author: Bernie Hoefgen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration)

TRY ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON

Recent articles in the Leader-Telegram raised questions about
decisions before the Eau Claire County Board. One article covered the
proposal to build a new government center, which would include a new
jail. This would cost taxpayers $55 million to $68 million, of which
$20 million would be for the jail.

A second article reported on a new program, the Drug Court, which
keeps some people out of the county jail. The treatment portion of the
program costs about $625 per person per month. The current cost of
keeping a person in jail averages about $1,000 per month.

Doesn't it make sense to put more prisoners into the Drug Court that
costs less and reduces the need for a new jail?

Another consideration is the program that places people in a virtual
jail through the use of new technology such as global positioning
systems. The person lives in their home at their expense.

Some Wisconsin counties have put many or all of their Huber Law
prisoners on this new system. The community is protected, the person
is restricted and punished, all at a much-reduced cost to the taxpayers.

About 40 percent of inmates in the Eau Claire County Jail are on
Huber. If many or all were placed in treatment programs and/or on
community monitoring this would make more beds available in the jail
and there would be no need to build an expensive jail.

Bernie Hoefgen

Eau Claire
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin