Bayfield County Criminal Justice Program
In 2001, Bayfield County formed a Criminal Justice Stakeholders Council comprised of key players from every level of the community – Law Enforcement, Judge, District Attorney, Clerk of Court, Jail Administration, Victim Advocates, School Personnel, Tribal Leaders, Criminal Defense Lawyers, Human Services, Mental Health and AODA providers, UW-Extension personnel, County Board members and interested citizens. The mission of the Council is to work cooperatively to make recommendations regarding the Criminal Justice System in Bayfield County.
The driving force behind this initiative is the financial burden that crime costs our community. Inevitable increases in our local jail population resulted in Bayfield County building a new 72-bed jail in 2004. The Criminal Justice Council and Bayfield County residents are committed to extending the life of our current jail facility as long as possible with programming and alternatives to jail that are proven effective and do not compromise the safety of our community.
Bayfield County hired a Criminal Justice Coordinator in April, 2005. The Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and carrying out directives of the Criminal Justice Council. The Criminal Justice Coordinator develops programs that are proven to be effective in changing the behavior and “revolving-door” effect we have seen with our repeat offenders. The Coordinator also develops “alternatives to incarceration”, also commonly known as “diversion” programs that provide a level of intervention and supervision without increasing risk to the public.
Bayfield County Criminal Justice Programs
Jail Literacy Program
The lack of basic educational skills has proven to be a contributor to criminal behavior. Since early 2004, our County jail has supported a basic GED program to visiting inmates free of charge. In Bayfield County, research supports that nearly one quarter of all sentenced individuals lack any educational achievement. Not only is the lack of literacy clearly evident, but also the absence of basic employment and life skills. UW-Extension staff have generously provided additional classroom hours for inmates needing help with managing stress or anger issues, or who have questions on how to fill out a job application. We are a community committed to improve the educational level of all inmates needing services in an effort to provide fiscally responsible answers to long-term problems that contribute to a reduction in crime.
Anger Management Class
Offered weekly for 1-1/2 hours to jail inmates needing to address the role anger has played in their lives. Inmates will learn to identify how they have managed their anger in the past and how managing anger appropriately can contribute to a healthy, crime-free lifestyle.
Community Service Program
Bayfield County believes in allowing first-time and/or traffic offenders to repay the community for their error(s) by working to improve it. This community partnership strengthens our commitment to reduce the impact of crime in our community while saving valuable jail beds. Select participants enter the program as a result of a plea agreement orchestrated by the District Attorney and approved and ordered by the Judge. Participants provide hundreds of hours of free service to local government and non-profit agencies. Currently, Bayfield County has a caseload of 33 people, who, if successful, will contribute nearly 2000 hours of unpaid services to the community.
Changing Minds/Changing Lives
An innovative, in-jail AODA educational program that combines mental health, criminal thinking correction, grief/loss acknowledgement, and drug and alcohol awareness into an intensive 6-week group experience for those chronic substance abusers who need new direction in our community. Nearly half of our sentenced jail population are serving mandatory sentences for multiple OWI’s. It is estimated that up to 80% of our jail population is there for a crime committed while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Clearly, it is time to proactively address this problem if we are to effectively deter the number of offenders sitting in jail. Extending the life of our jail depends on getting a handle on substance abuse issues within our community.
Bail Monitoring/Day Report/Electronic Monitoring Project
Bayfield County Circuit Court Judge John P. Anderson has requested input from the Criminal Justice Council and Coordinator to implement a Bail Monitoring/Day Report/Electronic Monitoring Program for use by the Court. Bail monitoring allows the Judge to order additional supervision for particular offenders who may pose a risk to the community but are not yet convicted of a crime. In combination with a day report program that orders offenders to be assessed for risk and needs by the Criminal Justice Coordinator, additional structure and supervision is there for those offenders who warrant it improving the safety of our community. Early assessment is also useful in pinpointing areas of concern for the criminal justice system, to better utilize our rehabilitative dollars where they are needed most. Finally, the electronic monitoring component provides an additional level of structure for offenders who need it--saving jail bed days while not compromising public safety.
In addition to these outlined programs, our Bayfield County Jail continues to provide Alcoholic’s Anonymous and 12-Step program groups every week. Our local Gideon chapter and area clergy are regular visitors providing important outreach to jail inmates.
If you have questions regarding the Criminal Justice Program, please contact:
- Criminal Justice Coordinator
- Brenda Spurlock
- Phone:(715) 373-6194
- E-mail: bspurlock@bayfieldcounty.org
