Fond du Lac drug users opting for jail to avoid probation and treatment programs
Published 11:01 AM, May. 29, 2011 by the Fond du Lac Reporter. (source)
(excerpt)
Some drug addicts are opting for jail time instead of battling their demons, says a local judge.
Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Peter Grimm recently issued a press release expressing concern about the number of drug cases appearing in court and the need for friends and family to help address the problem.
If a user appears in court for drug possession, judges have numerous options to try to help. In the case of a juvenile, probation can be forced upon them, allowing for an agent to oversee their progress in bucking the habit.
“In adult court, the defendants can actually decline probation, which we are seeing more of,” Grimm said. “That’s concerning for me. By law, I cannot impose it (probation). I have to decide what is the amount of incarceration.”
The defendants are picking time behind bars instead of treatment, urine screens and rules. Rejecting probation
“It’s a concern because we are getting young offenders who come in and say, ‘I don’t want probation.’ That tells me they don’t want to change their drug lifestyle,” he said.
Grimm said a defendant will claim to be sober and state that he or she doesn’t need help to stay clean.
He added that Fond du Lac County has been proactive in putting money behind juvenile treatment.
“We have a lot of juveniles who get inpatient residential care for their addictions,” Grimm said. “I am proud of this county and its willingness to spend funds for juveniles. Unfortunately, we sometimes see those kids again in their 20s.”
Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Strand said the drug problem is evident inside the Fond du Lac County Jail.
“Some people will decide they don’t want to be on probation anymore and will revoke themselves,” Strand said. “They wind up doing quite a bit of jail time, but at least when they are done, they are no longer on probation. The phrase is, ‘I don’t want be on paper anymore.’”
Inmates will serve a full sentence and then be released with no monitoring, Strand said.
“That’s not a harmonious outcome for anybody,” Strand said. “It’s not good for society or the inmate.”
(to read the full article: )