MISSOULA - My name is Bill Burt. I have recently retired from a 30-year career in law enforcement, most of these years right here as a Captain in the Missoula Sheriff’s Office. Last March, I filed as a candidate for Missoula County Justice of the Peace Department #1.
This year, Missoula voters will have a clear choice when it comes to the background, education, training and practical experience of their next judge. And that matters.
Being a Montana native, coming from a very large family and working as a front-line law enforcement officer for more than two decades, I have intimate knowledge of people who most often will appear in my court. Most of these first-time offenders are non-violent, suffer from mental illness, addiction or other afflictions that have landed them within the criminal justice system.
My compassion and desire to help non-violent offenders was instrumental in my choice to follow a career in law enforcement and now as a judge. And as a compassionate judge, knowing conditions ‘on the street,’ I promise to diligently find the balance between those who want help to get back on their feet versus those offenders who need more traditional correction.
Many programs have been developed to manage this balance but they can only work when properly applied by our judges. Our County Jail Diversion Program is one of the best examples. The best arguments for our Jail Diversion Program are to reduce the cost to the taxpayer, reduce recidivism (repeat offenders) and reduce crime rates. Every community should work towards these outcomes.
Yet our current judges seem to struggle with the available jail diversion options. They can’t seem to find the balance between those who will benefit from the opportunities and those that are taking advantage of the system. Too many of those offenders are not ready to benefit from these programs and too many offenders most ready and in need of this help are left out.
It seems that an all or nothing policy has developed putting repeat offenders and career criminals back onto the street with increased recidivism and increased costs to the taxpayer, not to mention the lack of compassion and concern for their victims.
As your next Justice of the Peace, I have the knowledge and experience to establish the proper balance with due consideration for county taxpayers, the level of offense and most importantly consideration for the victims. A people’s court deserves a Judge for the People and this is exactly what I intend to restore to Missoula County’s Justice of the Peace.
Reader Comments(0)