Justice Alternatives for Wisconsin: Reducing the Costs of the Criminal Justice System Presentation to the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Council May 9, 2007 Kate Battiato Callie Gray Patrick Mueller Angela Witt

Presentation Overview Justice alternatives for nonviolent drug- and alcohol- involved offenders Program alternatives and implementation options Focus on cost and recidivism Implementation options to increase use of alternative justice programs Recommendations for further study

Incarceration Rates in Midwestern States Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Incarceration in Wisconsin The Incarcerated Population –More than tripled from –OWI & drug offenses: 60 percent prison growth –83 percent of prisoners have an AODA treatment need Costs of Incarceration –Minimum security prisons: $29,751/ prisoner/year in 2006 –DOC budget over $1 billion and rising Recidivism –38.7 percent of all released prisoners are convicted of a new offense within 3 years

Pre-Incarceration Programs Drug Courts –Cost Savings: $1,000 - $15,000 annually per person (GAO) La Crosse County Drug Court Program estimates $18,000 annual cost savings per person –Recidivism: Reduction in recidivism varies from 13 – 47 percent Dane County Drug Court Treatment Program estimates 42 percent reduction in recidivism

Pre-Incarceration Programs Treatment Instead of Incarceration –Cost Savings: California program saves about $150 million per year California also avoided building a $500 million dollar prison –Recidivism: Has reduced the number of prisoners incarcerated for drug possession by almost one-third during a time period with a small rise in drug arrests So far there has been no noticeable increase in recidivism rates, but it is too soon to tell

Effects of Statewide Treatment Instead of Incarceration Notes: 2000 was just prior to implementation of Statewide Treatment Instead of Incarceration Initiative Source: DPA 2006

During Incarceration Programs Earned Release Program –Cost Savings: About $22,000 per released prisoner; total of about $10 million in first 3 years –Recidivism: Early results promising Challenge Incarceration Program –Cost Savings: About $39,000 per released prisoner –Recidivism: Similar to that of other releases

Post-Incarceration Programs Day Reporting Centers –Cost Savings: $1,180 - $9,650 per participant –Recidivism: 11 percent fewer arrests compared to control group Of those who did recidivate, participants remained arrest free for an average of four months longer

Implementation Options 1.Increase Treatment, Alternative, and Diversion (TAD) Grants 2.Community Corrections Act 3.Statewide Treatment Instead of Incarceration Law 4.Expand the Earned Release Program and/or Challenge Incarceration Program 5.Expand Day Reporting Centers 6.Modify Truth In Sentencing

Conclusions & Recommendations Conclusion: Alternative justice programs offer as good or better recidivism outcomes at lower costs than incarceration Recommendations: –Further study –Focus on cost and recidivism –Seriously consider recommending one or more implementation options for adoption by the Legislature

Questions?

Wisconsin Department of Corrections Budget (Adjusted to 1991 dollars)

DOC Budget Trends and Future Projections

DOC Budget: Trend Analysis Predictions and Executive Budget Proposal