Kitsap County has seen a measurable drop in drug cases and successes in the use of alternatives to incarceration during the past year according to the Kitsap Prosecutor’s Office 2007 annual report.

The report also shows that 2007 saw a slight rise in misdemeanors and a decline in felonies, while the overall caseload remained fairly stable.

The full, 61-page document is available for download online at www.kitsapgov.com/pros/2007_Annual_Report.pdf.

One incarceration alternative praised in the report and credited with helping reduce the amount of drug-related crime is Drug Court, a program that focuses on treatment rather than prosecution for felony drug offenders willing to admit they have a problem.

“Our investments in Drug Court pay dividends,” said Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge. “Exposing non-violent offenders to treatment resources enhances the likelihood that they’re going to stay clean.”

Due to its popularity, Drug Court expanded in 2007 to accommodate 100 participants.

Even so, there were 20 people on the waiting list for entry into the program at the time the report was printed.

Regarding on the popularity of the treatment, Hauge said, “Quite simply, it works. The way we run our Drug Court, a person accepts responsibility for their behavior.”

The report concedes, however, that the program is not a panacea for drug crime.

While most entrants complete the program successfully, a sizable percentage have treatment revoked and are put behind bars as a result of failed compliance.

The report adds, however, that data relating to Drug Court “consistently shows a benefit in a drop in recidivism for each treatment attempt, even if unsuccessful.”

In addition to Drug Court, Hauge pointed the county’s handling of felony DUI cases as a significant achievement during 2007.

“Other counties (of similar size to Kitsap) don’t have nearly as many felony DUIs as we do,” he said.

The reason is not that there are more drunken drivers in Kitsap County than in other parts of the state, but rather that the arresting officers in Kitsap are taking the time to run criminal history checks on offenders to see if they deserve a felony charge rather than a misdemeanor.

An incarceration alternative program implemented in 2007 that’s still in its formative stage is the Contempt Alternatives to Jail (CAJ) program, under which those behind in their child support payments can negotiate more manageable terms in order to avoid being sent to jail for failing to pay.

Many cases have ended up in court despite these attempts at negotiation, but Hauge remains upbeat about the program.

“We hold out carrots,” he said. “What we’re trying to do throughout is to encourage people to accept responsibility for their actions and pay what they owe.”

The report also notes concerns that the prosecutor’s office has, including a shortage of courtrooms, preventing judges from working at their full capacity.

Looking ahead to the rest of 2008, Hauge said, “The major challenge we face right now is the city’s financial picture.”