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New judge working toward treatment court

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Lynn Rider

By Ted Pennekamp

 

New Crawford County Circuit Court Judge Lynn Rider officially began her duties on Aug. 1 and is working on starting some new practices regarding offenders who are involved with alcohol or drugs.

“It’s been very good so far,” said Rider, 56, about her first few weeks as judge. “I’ve gotten lots of support from other judges and courthouse staff to help me get started.”

Rider was a lawyer in Prairie du Chien for 31 years with the firm of Czajkowski, Higgins and Rider except in 1987-88 when she was the Crawford County District Attorney. 

In her role as judge, Rider said she will be working at developing a treatment court and related activities. 

“There is a significant difference in criminal cases since when I was the DA,” she said. “There are more alcohol and drug offenses and more women defendants. We need to approach these drug and alcohol offenses in a different way. Just incarcerating people is not getting to the root of the problem.” 

Until grant funds become available, Rider said she will try to implement some smaller steps towards a full treatment court program. One smaller step that can be put in place without grant funding is monitoring alcohol use while an offender is on bond and also after sentencing. Rider said that there are bracelets and other devices that can monitor alcohol or drug use, for example. “The technology is amazing,” she said. 

Also, Rider said she is considering reducing jail time for inmates who participate in ongoing treatment consisting of a minimum of four sessions. “We will be trying to give more support and more help,” she said in noting that monitoring and treatment will be an effort to help get to the cause of the problem to hopefully reduce repeated alcohol and drug-related offenses.

Once grant funds become available, Rider said she will be applying again in order to initiate a treatment court.

“All of our neighboring counties have some form of a treatment court. It’s an alternative to jail that is intensively supervised,” said Rider in noting that the treatment court will involve regular case worker contact with the offenders as well as regular alcohol and drug testing and appearances in front of the judge. “It’s a team approach to provide support, not punishment.” 

Rider said the treatment court will involve several phases over 18 months in order to graduate from the program.  The main cost of a treatment court, she said, will be the cost of personnel to coordinate the program and to provide counseling and treatment.

“We have had one meeting and we will continue to meet regularly regarding alcohol and drug treatment needs,” said Rider. She said the first meeting was attended by personnel from the medical field, the Human Services Department, the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Department and the Circuit Court. 

“We will be working together to address this problem,” said Rider.

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