(Madison) The Public Defender Board will honor the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP) with the 2005 Eisenberg Award. The ceremony will take place on September 22, 2005 at the State Public Defender’s (SPD) Conference in Milwaukee. Public Defender Board Chair, Daniel Berkos, will present the award. Accepting on behalf of the Association will be WATCP President Elliott Levine and WATCP Treasurer Shelly Cyrulik.

Formed in January 2005, the WATCP helps to foster the development and strengthening of treatment courts throughout Wisconsin. Treatment courts reduce substance abuse, crime and recidivism. They also improve the efficiency of justice systems and give public defender clients, as well as other defendants, community corrections alternatives.

“The Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals has been a valuable resource to jurisdictions looking to form or strengthen its drug treatment courts. The option of drug treatment courts is a great assistance to our justice systems,” stated Public Defender Board Chair Daniel Berkos.

State Public Defender Nicholas L. Chiarkas added, “I applaud the Association’s strong membership for their leadership on this issue, including the SPD staff who are Association Officers and Association Board Member.”

The Eisenberg Award was established by the Public Defender Board in 2003 to honor the memory of Marquette Law School Dean Howard Eisenberg. Dean Eisenberg worked tirelessly for the rights of Wisconsin’s poorest citizens.

The 2004 recipient was the Milwaukee Bar Association (MBA) and the MBA’s Legal Services to the Indigent Committee; and the 2003 recipient was Representative Terri McCormick.

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