Justice of Northwest Wi is a non-profit community-based program. Restorative Justice is a community based response to crime that invites those affected, the victim, the community, and the offender to address the full impact of the crime and ways to repair the harm. This is done though the many programs that Restorative Justice offers.
Inmates from the Burnett County jail have been making barbed wire art for the county’s methamphetamine awareness campaign. The funds from these sales will go towards two bill boards in the county with the “kNOw meth Burnett County” message.
As most of Wisconsin battles the heroin epidemic the northern part of the state has another fight on their hands. Burnett County has a Methamphetamine problem and it is not going away. Law enforcement seizures of the drug went up over 1,363% from 2014 to 2015. There has been a reported $250,000 in property crimes as a direct result of Meth. County departments such as Health and Human Services struggle to keep up with the reports of child abuse and neglect. School districts are reporting neglect and behavior issues in the children they serve; a direct effect of their parent’s meth use.
Many agencies and organizations from Burnett County have come together to fight against the issues left in the wake of meth use, and in the last 9 months they have made great strides. To such an extent, that neighboring counties look towards Burnett for ideas on how to combat this dilemma in their areas. Furthermore, Burnett County has become a part of a regional effort working on how to address meth use today versus the last big onset of almost 10 years ago.
Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive stimulant drug. It affects the central nervous system dumping dopamine at an extreme rate into the body. The difference with this drug compared to many others is that the addict will give up everything for another high. They will lose their job, home, and children; and still that will not stop the desire for the next meth high. When given the choice of getting clean, thus getting their children back, or to keep using, they choose to keep using. Meth is so powerful that it breaks the parental instinct. That kind of impact shows the extent to which users will go to attain what they are looking for. They will lie and steal for their next fix. In fact, in a matter of months the addict will lose everything and still be trying to find more.
Another distinction is that with methamphetamine the addict’s brain is not even healed, nor ready for treatment for 9 months after the drug is out of the system. Meaning, meth is a drug that requires long term treatment. The traditional 21-day treatment programs do not even touch what is needed to combat this addiction. Addicts that have been clean for years’ state that meth still, “…whispers to them.” The power of this drug is truly devastating for the addict, and those around them.
We are asking that the citizens in Burnett County pay attention to what they see in their neighborhoods. Please, if you see something, say something. The members of the community must educate themselves, by taking advantage of the Town Halls, and/or other educational opportunities that are offered in the county. Volunteers and mentors are needed in many programs to help those in the throes of addiction get back on their feet. This is not just a problem for the addict it is a problem for the community. It is time to come together and work towards sobriety.
-Tammy Hopke, Program Coordinator, Restorative Justice Of NW Wisconsin, Inc.
Last Update: Nov 22, 2016 10:08 am CST
