Officials with the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy recently went before state officials to speak about the impact of their work. One of their key points was Alternative to Detention programs, and how they benefit not only the accused, but the state at large.
Tina Mills is an Alternative Sentencing Worker with the DPA Bell County Trial Office. She said these programs allow for personalized care that isn’t possible in the traditional incarceration model.
“Individualized treatment placement can lead to so many positive changes. Adding additional resources to assist with client need, such as job training, not only enhances individual opportunity, but also promotes stable living and encourages continued sobriety,” said Mills.
Mills said she and others in her position work toward self-sufficiency, with the goal of getting resources to those who want to change. She said ATD programs provide more than just lessons for convicted individuals, they also provide opportunities for genuine connection.
She shared the story of a man named Patrick who she was able to help enter an ATD program called Horse-Sensing, where those in recovery work to attain sobriety and gain meaningful skills.
“Partick’s attorney was able to negotiate an agreement with the court that allowed his case to be treated as a misdemeanor, and Patrick was able to avoid a felony conviction. Several weeks into his treatment, the facility director notified me that Patrick was doing amazing, and that he was really involved in his drug education classes. She said he was a natural with horses,” said Mills.
She said Patrick has since graduated from the program but has chosen to stay and work at the horse farm and help others who find themselves in a similar situation. Mills said this program is also a cheaper alternative for the state than traditional detention.
Many ATD programs have little or no associated cost for the state, making them a cheaper option than paying to lock someone up for the length of their sentence. Mills said for any one dollar invested in her work; she saves the state three-to-six dollars in costs.