Corrections: With budget under control, director looks to fix programs

Dubois County Community Corrections director William Wells’ report to the board had positive and negative notes Tuesday night.

Wells reported collections exceeded expenditures by $18,300 for fiscal year 2015-16. Expenditures were held $42,600 under budget. And, while collections fell short of the budgeted amount by $24,300, most of that was from the first quarter of fiscal year.

Wells also reported that collections were averaging $2,900 above monthly budget requirements. He credited stricter enforcement of collecting user fees for this improvement. Corrections participants who take jobs at restaurants and receive cash tips are now required to pay their user fees immediately when they return to the Corrections Center after their shift is finished.

Utilities and vehicle supplies were the only two budget expense categories that exceeded the estimated amount. Utilities by $16,378. Vehicle supplies were over by $635.

Wells also reported that during the past two months the population at community corrections has increased. In May, the facility had 61 participants. The number increased to 93 by July 10 and now, about 87 inmates are in community corrections — 75 male and 12 female.

Community corrections can handle 102 individuals.

Wells gave an update on recidivism rates. He said that the statewide recidivism rate is 38 percent. Or about 4 out of 10 inmates in rehabilitation programs eventually return to jail regardless of completing the program.

In Dubois County the recidivism rate is 49 percent — nearly half of all offenders returning to jail after going through community corrections.

“We’ve made tremendous strides in the last nine months, but we’re a long, long way away from where we need to be,” Wells said.

High risk offenders need 200 hours of rehabilitation to help them to become productive, law abiding citizens; medium risk offenders require 100 hours.

Dubois County Community Corrections program participants are averaging between 25 and 50 hours of rehabilitation. With most of the offenders referred to corrections considered to be lower risk offenders, Wells said the success rate should be higher.

Wells’ goal by the time he leaves his position in five years is to have a program that is a model for all of the state of Indiana to admire. But he said that they are 10 years behind where they need to be.

“This place was built with five classrooms, and right now we’ve gotten to the point that a year ago we were using one, maybe two on some nights,” Wells said. “We’ve gotten to the point now where we are bumping into ourselves with different classes and different programs.”

He wants all the classrooms back. One is being used as the office for the Substance Abuse Services Director. He asked the board to consider what they could do to get the substance abuse office moved. Currently, office space is at a premium for the county. One county employee even works from home.

No ready answers were addressed by the board at Tuesday’s meeting.

Wells and Treatment Program Facilitator Megan Durlauf did present a plan to create Brucke Strasse College, a program for corrections participants which focuses on the most necessary courses for rehabilitation.