CLARK COUNTY RECOVERY COURT

 JusticePoint, History & Funding

JusticePoint
Clark County Recovery Court is collaboratively designed and implemented by Clark County and JusticePoint. JusticePoint is an organization dedicated to the promotion of evidence-informed criminal justice programs, practices, and policies.  The commitment to evidence-informed practices is firmly rooted in the belief that criminal justice outcomes can be improved through the use of collaboration, engagement, and the scientific method. The effect of these improved outcomes is not limited to criminal justice stakeholders, practitioners, defendants, and victims but has a direct impact on the quality of life for all in the community. Reduction in key criminal justice outcomes such as recidivism has a cumulative effect.  By stunting or limiting the recurrence of criminal activity criminal role modeling and the cycle of victimization can be eliminated. Each community's needs, population, and political situations are unique.  By embracing evidence-based practices, JusticePoint acknowledges that programs must be designed and implemented differently in each community. As described in A Framework for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Local Criminal Justice Systems, an evidence based framework, in itself, does not propose answers to all potential questions but provides for a collaborative process for making well informed decisions (CEPP, 2010). JusticePoint is firmly committed to being an engaged, educated, and willing partner in moving the criminal justice system towards achieving better outcomes for the community at large. https://www.justicepoint.org/about

History
The Clark County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) was created via an ordinance passed by the Clark County Board of Supervisors March 2021 to improve the effectiveness and efficiencies of the local criminal justice system. Through the work of the CJCC, a proposal was written to create the Clark County Recovery Court and an application for Treatment Alternatives and Diversion funding was submitted September 2021 to the Wisconsin State Department of Justice. In January 2022, Clark County was awarded funding to start the Recovery Court Program. Implementation occurred throughout 2022.

Funding
The Clark County Recovery Court is a Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) program funded by the TAD grant. These funds are administered by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Treatment Alternatives and Diversion programs provide District Attorneys and/or Judges an option to offer offenders the opportunity to enter into voluntary substance abuse treatment, case management, and other risk reduction services as a safe and effective alternative to jail or prison confinement.