BURNETT COUNTY, Wis. -- National Drug Court Month is coordinated by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). This year, treatment courts throughout the nation are advocating to ensure continued federal and state funding for these effective, evidence-based programs. The tremendous impact Drug Courts have on our communities is evident, and it sends a powerful message that these programs reduce addiction, crime, and recidivism while saving lives, families, and valuable resources for our state.
Today, nearly 3,200 treatment courts are in operation in all 50 states, plus US territories, successfully treating close to 150,000 substance addicted individuals each year. Since 1989, these courts have saved over 1.5 million lives and billions of tax dollars.
“Treatment courts are a proven budget solution that stops the revolving door of arrest and incarceration for people with substance use and mental health disorders,” said NADCP CEO Carson Fox. “Congress must support drug courts so they can continue to restore lives, reunite families, and make communalities safer, all while saving millions of valuable taxpayer dollars.”
The Burnett County Drug Court is a judicially supervised court docket that reduces correctional costs, enhances community safety, and improves public welfare. In these programs, seriously addicted individuals remain in treatment for long periods of time while under close supervision. Drug Court participants must meet obligations to themselves, their families, and their community.
To ensure accountability, participants are regularly and randomly tested for substance use, required to appear frequently in court for the judge to review their progress, rewarded for meeting goals, and sanctioned for not meeting clearly stated obligations.
Research continues to show that treatment courts work better than jail or prison, better than probation, and better than treatment alone.
Treatment courts are this nation’s most effective strategy to reduce recidivism among substance addicted, nonviolent offenders with criminal histories. Nationally, 75% of individuals who complete such programs are not re-arrested. These courts save up to $13,000 for every individual they serve and return as much as $27 for every $1 invested.
Since its inception in 2006, Burnett County Drug Court has had 74 participants, out of the 74 participants 47 have graduated, 4 are actively participating, 1 was medically discharged, and 22 have been terminated from the program. For the participant to remain successful after graduation as well as successful in the program they need to apply the tools they were given in the program; AODA recovery does not end on graduation day; it is an ongoing process, where the life skills and self esteem that were developed in treatment are necessary for long term sobriety.
Burnett County Drug Court is held the first and third Thursday of the month at 9am. If you have any questions please contact Tessa Anderson, Drug Court Coordinator at 715-349-8878 or at tanderson@burnettcounty.org
Last Update: May 23, 2017 11:02 am CDT
