Attorney General Curtis Hill announced that Shelby County will receive a $41,295 grant from the Indiana Drug Enforcement Association for the purpose of starting a Jail Chemical Addiction Program (JCAP). The award is made possible through seed funding from the Office of the Attorney General.

“We must insist that offenders in our jails and prisons are provided genuine and meaningful opportunities to turn their lives around and break the cycles that lead people repeatedly into criminal behavior,” Attorney General Hill said. “JCAP programs are excellent examples of such opportunities. For criminal offenders with addiction problems, incarceration can be a godsend if it helps put them on the road to recovery. The key is connecting them with quality long-term treatment programs that begin during incarceration and continue upon their release.”

Shelby County Sheriff Dennis Parks agreed.

“We all recognize that people who land in jail have typically made poor decisions in their lives,” Sheriff Parks said. “Beyond simply penalizing them for those poor decisions, however, we want to help these individuals make better decisions going forward. Sometimes, physiological conditions are part of the equation making positive life choices difficult for these folks. As they pay their debts to society, we want to help them in every way possible to put their lives together.”

Shelby County Prosecutor Brad Landwerlen lauded the prospective benefits of JCAP.

“We are hoping that the program funded by this grant will help addicts conquer their demons, which will translate directly to less crime,” he said. “We thank Attorney General Hill for his assistance and support of the JCAP program.”

Judge David Riggins described JCAP as a significant step forward.

“I believe the Jail Chemical Addiction Program will be an important tool for those who are ready to face and fight their chemical addiction,” he said. “In the past, our jail didn’t offer much programming. Inmates would just sit, do their time, and be released. Now, we have a place where appropriately motivated inmates can live and learn with like-minded peers who are equally serious about wanting to be clean and sober. We believe this will give our inmates the greatest chance to fight and beat their addiction on a daily basis once they are released. All of the Shelby County judges are pleased to have this program available as a sentencing option.”

Shelby County Courts Program Services Director Melissa Gharst will play a significant role in administering the program.

“The benefits of JCAP extend beyond the individuals receiving treatment,” she said. “Their families, their neighborhoods, their employers and indeed society at large are all better off when those who have engaged in destructive practices manage to turn their lives around. And we have learned from experience that with the right kinds of programs, positive outcomes are very much within reach. We have every reason to be encouraged and optimistic going forward.”