Adult ed plays key role in justice system, judge says

An education is one thing that can never be taken away from an individual, a philosophy that Meredith Switzer, Garland County Division 1 District Court judge, holds dear for those who appear in her courtroom.

“One of the beautiful things about National Park College is that it provides our community, our students growing up in this community, an opportunity to continue their education here and grow, develop and build roots here,” Switzer told the National Park College Board of Trustees Wednesday during its regular monthly meeting.

According to a college official, in recent years, NPC’s Adult Education Division has developed a partnership with the Garland County District Court — Smarter Sentencing — to provide “justice-involved” individuals with opportunities to obtain their GED.

“This college is a linchpin, it’s a landmark in this community,” Switzer said. “Without it, we would not thrive. So I use you as a tool to accomplish some of the goals I have set in court, and one of those I want to brag on today is our relationship with Bill Ritter’s team and what they’re doing in adult education.

“My philosophy is that there are certain things an individual needs to fully rehabilitate or restore. … When people come to me in court, I meet them where they are. They don’t often have the skills, the training, the education, the support system, etc., to be successful, and that is part of the problem that’s led them to criminal behavior and being a justice-involved

individual.”

Switzer said they are always finding alternatives to incarceration and sentencing, and she believes in order to reduce recidivism, needs such as education, housing, employment, transportation, their justice issues, mental health, and dental and medical must be addressed.

“Unless or until all of those issues are addressed, we’re not going to have productive successful people,” she said. “They’re going to continue in the same cycle that they’ve been in. One of the things that we’ve implemented in large part in our probation program is requiring that justice-involved individuals obtain their GED. If they don’t already have a high school diploma, they must obtain the GED. The work that Bill and his team have done with the jail and individuals who are incarcerated, but also individuals who are simply just on probation, has been phenomenal.”

In the 2017-18 program year, Switzer said 382 students at the Garland County Detention Center, as well as 115 students that were just on probation, were served through the Adult Education Division.

“Of that total combined group, 60 percent of them made at least one measurable increase in either reading, math or language skills,” she said. “We had 60 students obtain their GED and my philosophy on education and on obtaining your high school diploma or GED is very simple — there are very few things in life that I can’t take from you. I can take your liberty, I can take your children, I can take your driver’s license, I can take your money. No one can ever take your education from you. That is a rare thing.”

Switzer said when an individual comes to her after obtaining their GED or high school diploma, she gives them a break on their fines and costs.

“People who have racked up debt, who have been through the system, who know nothing else than the world of criminalistic behavior, have now accomplished something,” she said. “They’re a member of this club … for that effort, I reward them.

“I thank Bill and I thank you all for trusting him to work with the courts and build up this relationship, and let us serve a different faction of the community that you may not otherwise interact with. These are not individuals who have the blessing of graduating from high school and going down the road to National Park and getting a twoyear degree. We’re not talking about those individuals.”

Switzer said she shares in these students’ pride at having accomplished obtaining their GED, taking a personal vested interest in them.

“When they come back and show it to me, I take them aside in a separate courtroom on a break and I tell them and their family that I appreciate what they’ve done,” she said. “I tell them what I’ve told you (that) nobody can ever take that from you, so cherish it.”