By means of this newsletter, I would like to share with the readers the genesis and the functions of the Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Board.

The Ontario County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 554, entitled "IMPLEMENTATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION SERVICE PLANS FOR THE ONTARIO COUNTY JAIL AND AUTHORIZATION TO APPOINT ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS", ON August 9, 1990. This resolution provides that the PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS authorizes the Chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors to make the necessary appointments to the Alternatives to Incarceration Advisory Board as prescribed by the Laws of 1984. The first appointments to the Board were made in September of 1990.

It is important to remember that the ATI Advisory Board is just that - an ADVISORY Board which makes recommendations to the Public Safety Committee who, in turn, review the recommendations. The programs that are APPROVED by the Public Safety Committee are then referred to the Board of Supervisors for final determination.

I was appointed to the Board in 1993 and have served since that time. I was appointed as Chairperson to the Advisory Board in 1999. Many changes have taken place: finances were appropriated by the Board of Supervisors to create a full time position of ATI Coordinator: Resolution 56, adopted by the BdS on January 20, 2000, appointed a total of 23 individuals at the ATI Advisory Board and one additional individual was subsequently added bringing the total members to 24; meetings have taken place that are meaningful and well attended.

The current ATI Board has two major goals:

• Commitment in seeking innovative alternatives to incarceration which will benefit County residents and maintain public safety
• Responsibly develop a service plan designed to increase the use of alternatives for pre-trial and convicted offenders to develop initiatives for the offenders and to prevent recidivism.

Another IMPORTANT aspect of the Alternatives to Incarceration Program is the fact that they ONLY APPLY TO LOW-RISK, NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS.

Some of the alternatives currently being used are listed below with a synopsis included:

PROBATION - The original alternative sentence used by the courts. Probation offers supervision to juvenile and adult offenders. Included in the probation sentence are court requirements that the individual must obtain in counseling, substance abuse treatment, anger management, etc. One of the requirements for offenders is that they must be working, or in school, full time (or a combination of both) thus being productive with their time. The Probation Department oversees this program.

ELECTRONIC HOME MONITORING: This program is also supervised by the Probation Department. It consists of a unit that is installed on the probationer's telephone system and an ankle bracelet. The offender is allowed to leave his residence up to four (4) times a day for approved activities - employment, school, medical care, counseling, and meetings with the Probation Department. As the equipment only records when an offender leaves or returns home, it does not tell the Probation Department where the offender goes once the offender leaves the residence. Therefore, the Probation Department performs periodic checks to ascertain that the offender adheres to approved activities. THIS HAS BECOME AN EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE AND ONE THAT THE JUDGES ARE UTILIZING MORE AND MORE.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: The low-risk non-violent offenders sentenced to community service are placed at Government and Non-Profit Organizations for a number of hours determined by the court. This alternative provides criminal courts with a sentencing alternative through the use of community service for offenders with sentences of adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, conditional discharge, or probation. This program is under the direction of the Ontario County Department of Workforce Development.

INTERMITTENT WORK RELEASE (WEEKEND WORK/TREATMENT PROGRAM): Eligible offenders receive substance abuse counseling and participate in meaningful work projects in lieu of incarceration. Participants report to the FLACRA (Finger Lakes Alcohol Counseling and Referral Agency) Treatment Center in Geneva at 8:30 AM on Saturday and Sunday. After lunch, they are transported to a work site by a Correction Officer. The work period is from 12:00 noon until 4:30 P.M. Offenders are then released from the Correctional Facility at 5:00 P.M. Any inmate (offender) who fails to perform satisfactorily in this Program is returned to jail status. All costs associated with this FLACRA counseling are the responsibility of the inmate.

DAY REPORTING PROGRAM: This program is an intermediate sentence between jail and probation. Eligible offenders live at home but report to day activities on a daily basis where they participate in educational, vocational, substance abuse and mental health services as appropriate. Offenders are under probation supervision and electric home monitoring providing accountability seven (7) days a week. Participation in this Program lasts up to six (6) months. This program frees up jail space AND enables offenders to engage in needed services to reduce their chances of re-offending while also seeking/maintaining employment to support themselves and their families. Through the accountability that it provides, the program can provide public safety and IT IS COST EFFECTIVE. IT COSTS ABOUT ONE-QUARTER THE COST OF INCARCERATION. (The cost per day, per inmate, is approximately $80.00)

This Day Reporting Program was approved and effective as of January 2, 2000.

What is so encouraging about this Day Reporting Program is that this Program alone, has the potential of freeing up sixty (60) Jail Beds!

The Probation Director has reported to the Public Safety Committee, of the Board of Supervisors, that his Department's goal for 2001 is to triple from 20 to 60 cases and that he anticipates that the cases will remain at 60 for the year 2002!

Currently, the ATI Board is working on other Alternatives which we expect will be effective in 2001. I will expand on these in my next newsletter.