Dane County Sheriff David Mahoney spoke to the Dane County League of Women Voters Wednesday night to address the jail population in Dane County jails, detailing alternative solutions to decreasing the number of inmates.
According to Mahoney, when he first took office there were 949 beds in the Dane County jail, which was housing 1,300 inmates at the time. As of 2009, that figure has been reduced to 700 inmates.
The decrease in the number of inmates housed is the outcome of many factors, the main one being the use of alternative methods of incarceration. The most successful of these methods has been the electronic monitoring program.
Mahoney said 200 individuals are a part of EMP. To be considered for the program, inmates have to meet certain criteria.
The criteria include the defendant having a satisfactory behavior record in jail, having a residence with a telephone, being able to contribute to the cost of the program and having some sort of verifiable employment.
“One of our main priorities is to treat inmates fairly, respectfully, address why they are coming to the jail in the first place and help them be able to return and be a productive member in the community,” Mahoney said.
Celia Jackson, co-chair of the Dane County Task Force on Racial Disparities in Criminal Justice System, brought up the concern of inmate demographics.
“I think it is important to look at ways to address and take into account that the policies being implemented are disproportionate to minorities,” Jackson said.
Mahoney admitted that due to the strictness of the criteria, many minorities cannot participate in the program.
“We need to be more fair in how we assess different demographics and their relationship to the program,” Mahoney said, adding the department is looking into ways to make the program more affordable and inclusive.
However, on a broad spectrum, the EMP has had a 95 percent success rate, according to Mahoney.
Mahoney also pointed to the Drug Court Treatment Program, another solution to keep people out of prison. This program allows offenders to receive treatment and intervention with their substance abuse problems.
Mahoney said many of the recommendations of the 2007 Criminal Justice Assessment have already been implemented to reduce the jail population, including electronic monitors, alternative methods to incarceration and treatment programs.
Mahoney said he also believes medical and mental care must be prevalent in jails.
Mary Bean volunteers with the Madison Area Urban Ministry, which helps prisoners reintegrate into society and educates wardens on what it is like to be a returning prisoner in society through simulations.
She agreed with much of what Mahoney had to say, especially using alternative methods of treatment.
“I agree with the idea that we should be incarcerating fewer people,” Bean said. “We are too quickly putting people into jail.”
While there are many programs that are being implemented to decrease the jail population in Dane County, Mahoney said lowering the number of people in jail is a long process.
“Progress is on it’s way, but there is a lot of work that needs to be done,” he said.
