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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Friday, February 21, 2014

Matos Welcomes Treatment Program Audit

Arnie Matos
Lamont McClure's plan for a performance audit of the success of treatment programs at the jail sailed through Northampton County Council last night. Unanimously, Council approved a resolution requesting Controller Steve Barron to audit the treatment programs offered by Community Education Centers, Inc. Those programs, designed to reduce the number of offenders who return to jail for new offenses, will cost $5.5 million over the next five years.

"Where is the evidence this program is working?" asked McClure, who cast the sole vote against this contract last year. He conceded there is anecdotal evidence the program works, but noted that the actual recidivism rate at the jail has remained steady.

"We welcome the audit," said Corrections Director Arnie Matos, who added that a parallel study is being done by a local college.

Controller Barron told Council he will render no opinion, and instead perform an audit addressing 12 points, including what is paid by other jails with similar programs and whether treatment graduates end up in jails somewhere else.

"I don't want this to be used as a warrant for anyone to go out on a witch hunt," cautioned Hayden Phillips. Barron assured Council that, contrary to concerns raised here that he was doing the bidding of a political ally, he would be fair. "I come from treatment myself," he said, referring to his previous employment in group homes.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I heard the Barron stated he was a "certified fraud examiner". The more I hear that term the more I think it some bureaucratic inside joke.

Bernie O'Hare said...

He mentioned it three times.

Anonymous said...

Baron is not qualified to do this outcome evaluation. Why don`t we hire another $750,000 dollar expert ?

Anonymous said...

Apparently Barron and O'Donnell have that in common. I guess you get a certificate valid in some third world nation.
On the bright side it appears Barron and Brown have a lot in common.

Anonymous said...

Let the counting begin in earnest. Matos has no choice now and the numbers won't lie. CEC is toast. A once great idea of John Stoffa's now co-opted and used as coercion by the courts and the administration for it's own twisted purposes. Turn on the light and watch them run for cover..

Anonymous said...

Keep the women's program and ditch the rest of it. Money saved could be used to hire two more social workers that are desperately needed inside the jail. The new reentry plan will also benefit the entire population. Those that truly want help should be able to get it. Time for Matos to move on as he is part of the problem and not the solution.

Anonymous said...

you misheard. Barron never said "Examiner"

MT said...

Best sentence out of the whole article should open up further dialog "We welcome the audit," said Corrections Director Arnie Matos, who added that a parallel study is being done by a local college."
Why not use our area college students to get their feet wet in conducting audits to save the county money. The county wins with "free audits" and the students win with "real work product"

Anonymous said...

" A once great idea of John Stoffa's"

An idea hat doesn't work is not a great idea. Even if instituted by Santa Claus. Enough with the mancrsuh praise of a failed administration that ran the county into a deficit by its constant spending.

Anonymous said...

"you misheard. Barron never said "Examiner" "

So I guess he just said he was a certified fraud. thanks for the clarification. It now makes more sense.

Anonymous said...

The way these people ought to be "treated" is a nice cold jail cell and physical labor! Enough of wasting money on addicts and people that can't control themselves and resort to crime. Jail should be a place that one will do whatever he/she has to to never end up there. Otherwise, there is so called recidivism because the free three hots and a cot and treatment are always there.

Bernie O'Hare said...

That's the knee jerk reaction of most. A true conservative would want to reduce recidivism bc 66 cents of every tax dollar is spent on the back end of crime. But I know it makes you feel tough to say these things.