Summary
Judge Greer told the City Council that the municipal treatment court has produced high short‑term success rates, highlighted community service savings and described rising filings and concerns about public‑defender capacity under new state guidance.
Judge Greer, who leads the City of Shelton municipal court, briefed the council on Aug. 19 about court operations, treatment court outcomes and resource pressures. Greer said the court’s treatment program — described as a hybrid of drug, mental‑health and community‑court practices — serves up to 15 participants at a time and uses bilingual partners for evaluations and services. “We operate in 5 languages, usually 3, but up to 5. 15 participants at a time and reduce crime rate,” Greer said. He reported a 95 percent success rate in the treatment court’s initial two‑year data, while noting that three‑year follow‑up is the gold standard for measuring recidivism. Greer noted the program’s public‑service returns: he said defendants completed about 698 hours of community service that the court calculated as replacing approximately seven days of jail time and a $12,441 value to the community. He also described direct casework examples in which treatment court participants obtained housing and medical care. The judge warned of an emerging statewide issue: recent bar‑association recommendations and Supreme Court guidance are increasing public‑defense standards and could create a shortage of defense counsel for lower courts. Greer said this may prompt case dismissals where required defense counsel is not available. “We’re looking at dismissals,” he said, and urged local officials to monitor the issue as it evolves. Additional details: Greer gave 2024 counts for court activity — 4,020 hearings, 639 citations and 992 violations — and said Wednesday calendars had grown roughly 20 percent in 2025. He described jail‑cost variability (noting daily jail fees at regional facilities) and explained that the court has no control over where law enforcement places detainees. He also said treatment‑court funding is 100 percent allocated through the state court system and must follow professional guidelines. Why it matters: The court’s treatment program appears to reduce jail usage and produce positive short‑term outcomes; at the same time, changes in statewide public‑defense requirements may force case dismissals or increase county and city costs if local capacity cannot meet the new standards. Council response: Council members thanked Greer and said they would factor the court’s work into future budget discussions; no formal council action was taken at the meeting.
