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It’s hardly an idle question. La Crosse County’s Justice Sanctions Program, which runs programs that are alternatives to imprisonment in the County Jail, could potentially be a candidate for privatization of some of its services.
Meanwhile, ambulance service in La Crosse County, which is provided by a private firm, is being eyed by the city of La Crosse, which wants to get in the business.
During the 1990s, when Wisconsin was implementing its welfare work-based program called W-2 Wisconsin Works, Milwaukee County split its geographic area into several smaller areas, and then entered into contracts with private contractors for all areas.
The results were mixed, with some of the contractors unable to provide reliable quality service. The same was true when Milwaukee allowed private charter schools to take the place of public education. Some didn’t do the job very well, and sometimes there were allegations that private school officials were misappropriating public funds.
So, there is no set answer as to whether services traditionally provided by government ought to be provided instead by a private contract. In social services, there are many instances of private organizations providing quality services at reasonable costs.
But sometimes, the private groups end up costing more. We’re starting to see that in Iraq, where private contractors are doing work that might otherwise be done by soldiers — but at a much greater cost.
There isn’t a specific proposal about La Crosse County’s Justice Sanctions program, but some County Board members are recommending that the county look into the possibility of finding a private contractor to do some of the work.
The Attic Correctional Center, a private agency that already does alcohol and drug screening for the state Department of Corrections, has been suggested as a possibility.
But four county Circuit Court judges are urging policymakers to leave Justice Sanctions as it is. The judges say the program is successful as it is, and doesn’t need to be replaced.
By all means, let the discussion begin. Let’s explore the possibilities. But let’s also listen to the experts and the people who work with the program on a regular basis.
We need to be very specific about what problem or problems we intend to fix — and what the impact of those changes would be on cost and effectiveness of the program.
