Letter: What does accountability mean across the criminal justice system?

As the race for Dubois Circuit Court Judge continues, I have been following the recent campaign posts from Republican candidate Brian Lucchi regarding decisions made by current Judge Nathan Verkamp.

Mr. Lucchi has made accountability a major theme of his campaign and has highlighted several serious criminal cases in which he believes defendants should have spent more time incarcerated. Voters have every right to consider those cases and the decisions made in them.

However, after reading these posts, I am left wondering about the other side of Mr. Lucchi’s judicial philosophy.

Mr. Lucchi has previously stated publicly that probation and Community Corrections are often appropriate. I appreciate that statement, but given the emphasis of his recent campaign posts, I would like to hear more about what that means in practice.

Where does he draw the line? When does he believe probation is appropriate? When should someone be placed on Work Release or Home Detention instead of jail or prison? What are his views on Pretrial Services, which allows certain people who have not yet been convicted of anything to remain in the community under supervision while their cases are pending?

These are important questions because a judge does much more than sentence the violent offenders who make headlines.

Every day, courts deal with first-time offenders, people struggling with addiction, misdemeanor cases, probation violations and defendants who may be able to remain employed and productive while still being held accountable.

There is also a financial side to this discussion that taxpayers should consider.

According to the Indiana Department of Correction, it costs the State approximately $52.61 per day, or more than $19,000 per year, to incarcerate one adult in an Indiana prison. Statewide estimates have placed the average cost of housing someone in a county jail even higher, at approximately $74 per day.

Someone serving a sentence on Work Release, however, can continue working. That means the person can continue paying taxes, supporting a family and contributing to the local workforce. They may also be responsible for program fees and other financial obligations rather than having taxpayers bear the entire cost of incarceration.

That does not mean Work Release, Home Detention or probation is appropriate for everyone. There are certainly people who need to be incarcerated, particularly when public safety is at risk. But community supervision is not the same thing as simply “letting someone go.”

A person on Work Release lives at a Community Corrections facility and is permitted to leave for approved reasons such as employment and appointments. Home Detention places restrictions on where a person can go. Probation requires people to follow conditions ordered by the Court, and violations can result in them being brought back before the judge and facing additional consequences.

Dubois County has invested in these programs for years. They are clearly intended to be part of our local criminal justice system, not an exception to it.

That is why I would like to hear Mr. Lucchi explain where these programs fit into his philosophy of accountability.

He has been very clear about several cases in which he believes someone should have remained incarcerated. I would also like to hear examples of when he believes probation, Work Release, Home Detention or Pretrial Services are the better option.

Does accountability always mean incarceration? Or can accountability sometimes mean keeping a job, following strict rules, paying financial obligations, supporting a family and proving that you can successfully remain in the community?

I would also like to hear Judge Verkamp explain his own philosophy and the decisions he has made during his time on the bench. Voters should have an opportunity to hear directly from both candidates about how they view the role of the Court.

I believe Judge Quinn participated in a debate before he was elected, and I think something similar would be beneficial in this race. Put Brian Lucchi and Judge Nathan Verkamp in the same room and let both candidates answer the same questions.

Ask them about violent crime and sentencing. Ask them about repeat offenders. But also ask them about probation, Work Release, Home Detention and Pretrial Services. Ask them where rehabilitation fits into our criminal justice system, when someone deserves another opportunity and when incarceration is necessary.

Then let the voters decide which approach they want from their Circuit Court Judge.

Mr. Lucchi has made accountability a central issue in this election. I think that is a fair discussion to have. I would simply like to hear what accountability means across the entire criminal justice system, not only in the handful of cases that make the best Facebook posts.

Allen Hartman
Jasper