Marshall County Superior Court #2 Judge Dean Colvin recently inquired about how frequently individuals in the Community Corrections system end up back in the County Jail following a failed drug screen.
Director of Community Corrections Ward Byers stated that through the use of graduated sanctions and incentives, the jail is generally seen as a last resort.
He noted, “We’re trying to eliminate as much as we send to the jail but there are some cases where we have no choice but to send them back to the jail”
He elaborated on that, noting that sometimes they’re required to utilize the jail as an immediate sanction, similar to what probation does with failed drug screens.
Director Byers explained, “If someone fails a drug screen, especially if they’re out in the home and they’re intoxicated or they’re somehow a risk to themselves, we’ll incarcerate them and then ask the court to release them back to Community Corrections once they’re sober.”
Byers said they will first attempt to get the person back into treatment or use alcohol monitoring for individuals who require it. He added that the court is only utilized after 2-4 drug screen failures and therapeutic interventions.
