Phone |
406-582-3700 |
Fax |
406-582-3701 |
Office Hours |
Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m. |
Community Corrections offers the courts alternative sentencing programs. These programs offer eligible offenders a plan to attain financial responsibility, pay fines and restitution and address substance abuse. By contributing work hours to non-profit organizations and governmental agencies, offenders have an opportunity to put their skills to good use. Offenders must be 18 years of age or over and have either entered a guilty plea before a judge or have been found guilty at trial. Offenders on a diversion agreement may be required to perform community service as well.
Some of the program’s objectives are:
1. To expand the criminal justice system’s standard statutory sentencing options.
2. To assist the courts by monitoring offenders' successful completion of its sentencing orders.
3. To decrease jail overcrowding by offering the courts creative community-based correction programs.
4. To positively involve individual members of the community through participation of Justice Councils and Victim/Offender dialogs.
5. To allow an offender the opportunity for an uninterrupted, wage-earning life while participating in programs that encourage him/her to become a responsible member of the community.
Justice Council: Offenders work with trained community volunteers to draft a Reparative Agreement that 1) addresses underlying problems that may have precipitated the offense; 2) encourages positive personal/educational/vocational growth; and 3) encourages offenders to make amends to the victim and/or the community. Some councils include include a victim/offender dialog held during a justice council session with mutual agreement among the parties.
Money Management: Using a three month curriculum, offenders learn the fundamentals of creating and managing a household budget, prioritizing financial obligations, understanding long term savings, determining values needs and wants, goal setting, credit reports and identity theft. The curriculum is tailored to each offender's financial needs.
Community Service: Offenders work a worksite compatible with their skills and abilities.
Drunk Driving Impact Panel: The panel is presented by MADD of Gallatin County. Offenders listen to a panel of speakers to become aware of the drunk driving's devastating ripple effect on families, friends and members of the community. In this non-judgmental environment, some offenders come to “own” the potential tragedy their own actions may have caused and reinforce better judgments in the future with regard to impaired driving.
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