Chippewa County, Wisconsin, has a population of 63,649 citizens and spans approximately 1,041 miles being primarily rural. Chippewa County has 11 unique villages/cities with a poverty level of 10.7%. Chippewa County is home to 3 nationally acclaimed music festivals and Northern Wisconsin State Fair.
Methamphetamine and Heroin are an exploding problem in Western Wisconsin and prevalent in the area. In 2016, there were 592 filed felony complaints with 556 of these opened. There were 596 filed Misdemeanor complaints with 549 opened, and 295 Criminal Traffic Complaints with 291 opened. The District Attorney’s Office estimate 1/3 of their caseload is related to drugs or alcohol. Approximately 196 individuals are placed on probation each year in Chippewa County.
EBDM Stakeholders
The EBDM policy team was formed as a subcommittee of the Chippewa County Criminal Justice Collaborating Council (CJCC), which was established by county board resolution in June 2012. The principal mission of the CJCC is to provide coordinated leadership and innovation within the criminal justice system with a goal of creating a crime free community.
The EBDM policy team is comprised of a variety of stakeholders, including:
- County Administrator
- Two Circuit Court Judges
- District Attorney’s Office
- Department of Corrections Representative
- State Public Defender
- Sheriff
- Chippewa County Jail
- Chippewa Falls Chief of Police
- Clerk of Circuit Court
- Department of Human Services
- CJCC Coordinator
- Person with Lived Experience
- Diversion Specialist
Vision for EBDM
Being an EBDM team means we will use research and data to implement evidence-based decision making throughout the criminal justice system. We will provide coordinated leadership and innovation within the criminal justice system with the goal or reducing crime in the community, ultimately creating a safer community, and fair and just system with an efficient allocation of resources. Being an EBDM team brings us closer to reaching our vision of pursuing perfection and excellence for a crime free community.
Harm Reduction Goals
Chippewa County’s harm reduction goals include the following:
- More effective allocation of criminal justice resources measured by 10% of District Attorney case filing being diverted and less than 10%of probation placements being determined low risk on the COMPAS.
- 10% increase in Diversion of offenders entering the system measured through the First Time Offender and Deferred Acceptance of Guilty Plea Programs.
- Reduce by 10% offenders convicted of felonies in the criminal justice system.
- 75% of the public will support the EBDM and practices of criminal justice system as measure by public opinion survey/pole.
Read more what stakeholders in Chippewa are saying about the EBDM Initiative:
For too long has the Criminal Justice system relied on methods that are scientifically unproven. “It’s always been done that way” is too often the justification given. It is important to me and to all the agencies associated with the CJCC to make intelligent choices based on evidentiary fact when deciding how to address a given concern, monitoring the impact of that choice, and modifying or abandoning decision based on what the evidence is showing.
– Chief Matt Kelm, Chippewa Falls Police Department.
For more information on the effort in Chippewa County:
Visit http://www.co.chippewa.wi.us/government/evidence-based-policy-team-initiative
Contact Rose Baier, CJCC Coordinator, at rbaier@co.chippewa.wi.us