Candidates debate treatment, work release and limits of jail as the default response

Moderator Natalia Taylor asked the candidates to describe when they would favor treatment or other alternatives over punitive jail time. Kelly Sather described using chemical dependency and mental-health evaluations, sentencing that requires following treatment recommendations, and programs like work release and community service as tools to reduce costs and recidivism. "You go to outpatient treatment, if that's what's recommended," she said.

Landy Holloway agreed alternatives are used but emphasized statutory constraints that sometimes require jail, particularly for certain DUI sentences. She noted barriers in access: "We do have a problem in our community because access to treatment is limited, funding and insurance, issues are there." Both candidates advocated for using community-based solutions when feasible while prioritizing victim safety and public-safety considerations.

The exchange highlighted practical limits: Sather framed incarceration of mentally ill people as expensive and often ineffective — "Putting someone in jail for being mentally ill costs our community $200 a day" — while Holloway noted statutes and mandatory sentences constrain judicial discretion in some cases. Both discussed court-level steps such as ordering evaluations, coordinating progress reports from treatment providers, and using community service in lieu of fines when appropriate.