Commissioners receive report on offenders' success rate

The Bourbon County Commissioners signed off on a report that shows the number of adult criminal cases handled by

Cathy Cooper, Director for the 6th Judicial District Community Corrections program, provided commissioners with a copy of the Fiscal Year 2014 Year End Outcomes Report, which she said shows the outcomes from the comprehensive plan for the adult program.

She said there were 94 cases closed and of those, 23 clients were revoked due to probation violations.

"Which means they did not pick up a new crime, it's based on conditions of their probation that they were unable to successful complete," Cooper said. "And that is what we've been working, trying to decrease those numbers by doing incentives."

One of those is House Bill 2170, which allows officers to give offenders a one or two-to-three "quick dip," during which the offender will spend two or three days in the county jail, or the offender could return to court, where the judge could order them to serve 120 or 180 days in prison and then come out and serve probation again, she said.

"We've been utilizing those opportunities to work with the offenders," Cooper said.

She said the goal is to have a 75 percent success rate. In 2014, the department had a 75.5 percent success rate.

"The state always wants us to work on a goal, so we're trying to raise that by 3-percent," she said.

Second District Commissioner Barbara Albright asked if there is one thing that prevents offenders from completing their probation. She said commissioners once were told transportation to a class in Parsons is a hurdle for some offenders.

"What we are seeing is probably the hardest thing has to do with staying clean and the drugs and alcohol," Cooper said. "It's a condition that they stay clean. We always work with them trying to get them back into treatment. It's especially methamphetamines or if somebody's a chronic alcohol user. That's where we can use those two or three-dips."

When Albright asked if an offender is less likely to return to drugs or alcohol after serving 120 or 180 days in jail, Cooper said that depends on the case.

"It's really hard to tell," she said. "It just depends on the individual."

She said her department works with the offender to find a support system for the offender.

Other commission business

* Dennis Krom attended the meeting to report he tried to send a certified letter containing a written open request for financial records from the Garland Fire Department. The letter, addressed to the fire department in care of Connie May, was never picked up.

"It concerns me," Krom said. "The fact that they won't pick it up concerns me."

He said even though the county commissioners have no authority over the township or fire department, he was asking for advise on what step to take next.

Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman recommended Krom attend the next township meeting and take a witness.

* County Treasurer Rhonda Dunn provided commissioners with financial reports for the Roads and Bridges, Special Roads and Bridges and Special Machinery funds.

* Two executive sessions to discuss non-elected personnel to protect their privacy were held. The first, a 10-minute session, was held with Register of Deeds Lora Holdrige, but was extended an additional five minutes and included County Clerk Kendell Mason and Deb Schoenberger, who handles payroll. The second session was 10 minutes with Coleman and Second District Commissioner Barbara Albright. Commission Chairman Allen Warren was absent from the regular meeting.

* Dunn reported the first interdepartmental meeting was held Thursday. She was elected chairman and Julie Miller, Northeast Kansas Regional Correctional Center director of security, was elected secretary.

"I thought it was a good meeting, a good start," Dunn said.

She said it was agreed to participate in the Paint the Town Red event for the Fort Scott High School Homecoming week. She said the committee is also going to show support for Uniontown's homecoming.