DARLINGTON - Duane Jorgenson and Kate Findley are vying to win the Lafayette County Circuit Court judge seat being vacated by William Johnston, who is retiring after 30 years on the bench.
Findley, Lafayette County's current district attorney, and Jorgenson, a Darlington attorney, both advanced from the February primary election in front of two other candidates. The election is April 7.
The candidates shared their thoughts on the biggest legal challenge facing Lafayette County.
Findley said she thinks the lack of treatment courts as an alternative to incarceration is missing in the county, but as always, funding is the biggest hurdle.
"These programs are very dependent on funding," Findley said. "I don't know of any grants that last for the life of the program."
Findley suggested that Lafayette County, like any county, needs to look at the best way to use its resources and ensure the safety of its citizens.
Jorgenson said a couple issues came to mind, including the influx of drugs into the community and the lack of significant treatment for mental illness to stop violent crime.
"One thing we have done is we are actively working with mental health providers to try and minimize unnecessary trips to Winnebago (Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh), while also making sure the community is safe," Jorgenson said.
He said although there is no easy way to solve the many issues that drugs and alcohol bring, he suggested creating a "drug court," specific to those crimes with a focus on fixing the problem.
"I think my experience and background would make me a good person to oversee a drug court and try to address the specific issues we have to deal with," Jorgenson said.
The two candidates were also asked if, in the aftermath of high-profile cases in the county in recent years, violent crime is occurring more often in the county.
Findley pointed to the case show of Jaren Kuester, who killed Gary, Chloe and Dean Thoreson in April 2013, as a violent crime that could have happened anywhere.
"When you look at the Thoreson homicides, it could have occurred in any county that the defendant would have stopped in," Findley said. Kuester was not from the area and did not have any connection to his victims.
Though tragic, Findley said the murders do not mark a trend of violence, but is rather the unfortunate circumstance of a mentally-diseased man.
"Unfortunately, we are living in times where no matter where a person lives, this could happen," Findley said. "We've got a lot of good things happening in the county and good people living here."
"It was a random act," Jorgenson agreed. "I don't think there is any indication that Lafayette County is any more violent than it ever has been."
He said the county is small and trusting and in large part very peaceful, but these types of violent crimes happen - albeit not often.
"These things don't usually happen, but when they do we deal with them appropriately and effectively and we're certainly fortunate it doesn't happen with regularity," Jorgenson said.
Profiles of the candidates can be found on Page B2 of today's edition.
Findley, Lafayette County's current district attorney, and Jorgenson, a Darlington attorney, both advanced from the February primary election in front of two other candidates. The election is April 7.
The candidates shared their thoughts on the biggest legal challenge facing Lafayette County.
Findley said she thinks the lack of treatment courts as an alternative to incarceration is missing in the county, but as always, funding is the biggest hurdle.
"These programs are very dependent on funding," Findley said. "I don't know of any grants that last for the life of the program."
Findley suggested that Lafayette County, like any county, needs to look at the best way to use its resources and ensure the safety of its citizens.
Jorgenson said a couple issues came to mind, including the influx of drugs into the community and the lack of significant treatment for mental illness to stop violent crime.
"One thing we have done is we are actively working with mental health providers to try and minimize unnecessary trips to Winnebago (Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh), while also making sure the community is safe," Jorgenson said.
He said although there is no easy way to solve the many issues that drugs and alcohol bring, he suggested creating a "drug court," specific to those crimes with a focus on fixing the problem.
"I think my experience and background would make me a good person to oversee a drug court and try to address the specific issues we have to deal with," Jorgenson said.
The two candidates were also asked if, in the aftermath of high-profile cases in the county in recent years, violent crime is occurring more often in the county.
Findley pointed to the case show of Jaren Kuester, who killed Gary, Chloe and Dean Thoreson in April 2013, as a violent crime that could have happened anywhere.
"When you look at the Thoreson homicides, it could have occurred in any county that the defendant would have stopped in," Findley said. Kuester was not from the area and did not have any connection to his victims.
Though tragic, Findley said the murders do not mark a trend of violence, but is rather the unfortunate circumstance of a mentally-diseased man.
"Unfortunately, we are living in times where no matter where a person lives, this could happen," Findley said. "We've got a lot of good things happening in the county and good people living here."
"It was a random act," Jorgenson agreed. "I don't think there is any indication that Lafayette County is any more violent than it ever has been."
He said the county is small and trusting and in large part very peaceful, but these types of violent crimes happen - albeit not often.
"These things don't usually happen, but when they do we deal with them appropriately and effectively and we're certainly fortunate it doesn't happen with regularity," Jorgenson said.
Profiles of the candidates can be found on Page B2 of today's edition.