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Falk seeks ‘smart’ approaches

Focusing on issues of poverty and ways to lower Wisconsin's incarcerated population, Kathleen Falk, a candidate for Wisconsin state attorney general, addressed the University of Wisconsin College Democrats Monday.

Advocating alternative methods of rehabilitation for non-violent drug offenders — such as drug-treatment programs that help prisoners enter the work force — Falk, the current Dane County executive, spoke about "smart" approaches to lowering crime.

"Drug and alcohol addictions … reverberate [people] to crime," Falk said in support of using alternative drug-treatment programs rather than traditional incarceration for non-violent drug offenders. "These programs work. They're smart on crime. They're certainly smart on taxes."

Falk went on to describe the "Drug Treatment Court" program she helped introduce in Dane County.

According to Falk, if a non-violent drug offender passes through the Drug Treatment Court — a lengthy drug-rehabilitation program — the drug offense is not put on his or her criminal record.

However, if the non-violent drug offender fails to complete the program, he or she serves the normal sentence.

It is the type of program Falk believes will help keep drug addicts and alcoholics from reentering the prison system repeatedly for multiple non-violent drug offenses.

"We need multiple approaches, and that is what I've done as county executive," Falk said.

However, one Falk critic viewed the alternative rehabilitation methods as just part of Falk's "liberal agenda."

"It's something I see as nice in theory," UW College Republicans Chair Jordan Smith said. "I think we should still be using traditional sentencing [for non-violent drug offenders]."

Falk also cited the disproportionate number of Latinos and people with mental illness in Wisconsin's prisons as a problem the state needs to address in this year's elections.

Falk promised to work to ensure people with mental illness are not incarcerated unfairly and to introduce programs to help Latinos break down language barriers — which Falk said contributes to their high rate of incarceration.

During her speech before the College Democrats, Falk also addressed issues of poverty and "white flight" facing Wisconsin cities.

When discussing what the state attorney general race "was about," Falk advocated the establishment of youth centers and programs to help families see doctors and nurses.

"We need to not only fight sprawl, but help ways to move kids out of poverty," Falk said. "We need to create programs to turn those lives around."

Though Falk addressed the College Democrats, Chair Brian Shactman said the organization was by no means endorsing her candidacy.

However, Falk said the reason she decided to run for state attorney general was because many fellow state Democrats asked her to.

"A straw poll was taken — it was not something I asked for — and a straw poll was taken [among many state Democrats]," Falk said, "and I won by a wide margin [over opponent, incumbent State Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager]."

Shactman added that the College Democrats have invited Lautenschlager to speak before the organization as well.

After the meeting, the College Democrats voted to endorse Ashok Kumar for Dane County Board, District 5.

Kumar and opponent Adam Korn both addressed the College Democrats before the organization voted overwhelmingly to support Kumar.