In May 2024, I attended the RISE 24 conference in Anaheim, California, addressing treatment courts and criminal diversion programs. The State Bar of Wisconsin Government Lawyers Division provided invaluable assistance by covering the costs of tuition.

Treatment Courts Work​

Many readers may not be familiar with this conference. Criminal law practitioners, however, will likely be familiar with these programs as they are in nearly every county in Wisconsin.

Since the founding of our state’s first drug court in Madison in 1996, the number has climbed to over 100 courts assisting justice involved persons from specific populations (veterans, parents) with specific needs (mental health or substance use) or facing specific offenses (operating while intoxicated).

These are complimented by another roughly 45 diversion programs assisting persons with reduced risk and needs.

Together, these programs provide a humane, effective and cost-conscious alternative to ordinary criminal courts. Success rates are higher and recidivism is lower than ordinary community supervision. They provide an effective way to address addiction, mental illness, and other circumstances that cause crime.

The model for these programs is well-developed, having been in existence for 35 years. Their efficacy is well-documented, as they are among the most studied of criminal justice programs.

Finally, the cost to maintain someone in these programs is significantly less than incarcerating them. While not appropriate in every case, these programs benefit offenders, families, victims and the community.

What is RISE 24?

All Rise (formerly, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals or NADCP), the RISE 24 conference host, is the premier national organization for advocacy, training and resources for treatment courts and criminal diversion programs across the country.

The conference is held yearly with over 7,000 participants attending hundreds of presentations divided in 30 different tracks and covering a multitude of justice and treatment related topics.

The event is designed to provide training not just for lawyers and judges, but also supervision agents, law enforcement, treatment providers, administrators and other professionals who serve on the multidisciplinary teams that make treatment courts so effective.

It is truly the largest and most comprehensive training event on criminal justice alternative programs nationwide.

The conference also provides an opportunity to celebrate the success and promote the accomplishments of these programs by hearing from celebrities like Martin Sheen and Kerry Washington, public officials, and of course program graduates themselves.

While this year's agenda was too lengthy and diverse to address in this article, the focus for much of the conference was recent and significant changes in the national standards for treatment court operation. These changes, along with others that are forthcoming over the next year, will change how treatment courts across the nation do business.

Other Training Alternatives

Next year’s conference, scheduled for May 28-31, 2025, in Kissimmee, Florida, will undoubtedly be just as impactful as this year’s.

Admittedly, travel costs often preclude government lawyers and judges from attending out of state travel. Funding to attend this training may however be available for those programs that are supported by Bureau of Justice Assistance or Treatment Alternatives and Diversion Grants.

For programs that are unable to access this level of funding, a similar conference is held yearly in the Wisconsin Dells by the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals ( WATCP ).

While not as large as the RISE conference, it hosts a variety of presenters, many from All Rise, speaking on similar topics. Indeed, this year’s WATCP conference hosted Dr. Doug Marlowe, a primary author of the new standards, who presented on them nearly a month before doing so again at RISE 24. WATCP conference attendees also enjoyed hearing from our own celebrities promoting Wisconsin courts and relaxing at a concert by Wisconsin musician and voice finalist, Chris Kroeze.

The WATCP statewide conference provides a means for teams to get the same world class training in a local, cost-effective way. Next year’s conference is scheduled for April 23-25, 2025.

Other training opportunities are also available through All Rise. Implementation training can help new and aspiring programs. Operational tune-ups can help existing programs seeking to refine specific practice areas. Technical assistance visits are available for programs receiving BJA funding. Finally, training and other resources are available on specific topics in person, remotely or on demand on the All Rise website.

Conclusion: Training Is Essential

Practicing in treatment courts is challenging. Prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges need to have a thorough understanding of mental illness, substance use, treatment modalities, supervision, risk and needs and a host of other nonlegal topics. For new practitioners, the learning curve is steep. For experienced practitioners, best practices change on a regular basis. Training events like those mentioned provide a means for busy legal professionals to learn and stay abreast of key developments in this field.​

This article was originally published on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Government Lawyers Blog. Visit the State Bar divisions webpage or the Government Lawyers Division webpage to learn more about the benefits of division membership.