Marathon County Public Safety Committee meeting. MWC photo by Mike Leischner.
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Marathon County Public Safety Committee has approved a resolution encouraging state lawmakers to re-examine recent OWI law changes that trigger automatic prison time for 5th and 6th offenses.
County Justice System Coordinator Laura Yarie says due to 2019 Wisconsin Act 106 those who receive multiple OWI’s in Marathon County are no longer be eligible for OWI court- taking away the opportunity to plead guilty and be placed on probation while completing the county’s rehabilitation program.
“The quicker they begin treatment, the more successful [it is],” said Yarie. “If they go away to prison for a year and a half; there is a good possibility they wouldn’t be eligible for treatment in prison [with time served pre-trial and things like that],” she said.
Yarie added that the program is by no means a free pass. “They receive intensive OWI court treatment services while maintaining employment and family relationships using the national drug court model,” said Yarie. “It has a long history of research behind the effectiveness of putting treatment and accountability together to change behavior.”
Marathon County opened the court in 2011. Since that time, more than 70 individuals have completed the program with more than 80% staying sober. Yarie says that’s because of the intense treatment and standard for accountability.
The program involves weekly court dates and regular checkups with a probation officer. Individuals are also subject to random testing for drugs and alcohol by providing samples within one hour of test notification. Early in the program, there is a strict 9 PM curfew along with ankle bracelet monitoring.
That’s all in addition to whatever treatment programs and counseling are deemed necessary for the individual.
“It’s not an easy program. There are times where people in the program will say ‘I should have just gone to prison, it would have been easier to just sit my time,'” said Yarie.
Those who complete the program usually do so in 16-17 months. The minimum time someone can be in the program is 13 months.
During Wednesday’s meeting, a handful of program graduates spent nearly an hour telling their stories to the Committee. They praised the programs’ strict accountability standards and support. One man credited the program with allowing him to continue running his businesses while going through rehab. Others said it helped them repair relationships that they thought were lost.
Marathon County is one of several counties in the state that have implemented specific OWI treatment courts. Yarie says many have shown similar success rates.
Rock and La Crosse Counties are also working on resolutions to encourage lawmakers to amend the bill to allow treatment programs when appropriate.
The full county board will consider the measure later this month.
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