Statement of Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk

September 18, 2006
Joanne Haas, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823 or cell (608) 669-5606

On behalf of Dane County, and all the people who worked hard on this project application at the county level, the judges, Todd Meurer, the Court Commissioner, the Sheriff and the District Attorney, I would like to thank Gov. Jim Doyle, and the Republican and Democratic legislative leaders who created this grant opportunity. The Treatment Alternative and Diversion program protects public safety by helping us hold addicted inmates accountable and by enabling them to deal with their addiction. More specifically to Dane County’s grant, it is great we will have the restoration of the loss of federal funding for the Drug Court. This is a proven program supported by both conservatives and liberals on the Dane County Board of Supervisors. The program keeps first-time drug and alcohol offenders from re-offending. Secondly, the creation of the Day Report and Treatment (DART) program will reach inmates as they first enter the criminal justice system and get them to deal with their alcohol and drug problems. The point of these programs is to make sure than an inmate’s first stay in our jail is his or her last.