St. Croix County district attorney seeks re-election

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Eric Johnson

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Eric Johnson, St. Croix County district attorney, has announced that he is running for re-election.

“I am extremely proud of my office’s accomplishments in the last few years and I am looking forward to meeting the significant challenges that our office will face in the future,” Johnson said. “These challenges include smaller government funding, a larger and growing population base which will increase criminal referrals and keeping a lid on the continuing drug problem, primarily meth.”

Johnson said the St. Croix County District Attorney’s office has been able to incorporate strong prosecution efforts while looking at other alternatives to incarceration. The alternatives include the St. Croix County’s Diversion Program, the St. Croix County Drug Court and the St. Croix County Juvenile Treatment Court.

“It is important to prioritize which cases are prison, which are jail and which should be informal,” he said. “I believe our office, along with strong sentencing from our judges, sends a message to potential criminal offenders that St. Croix County is not a good place to do business.”

Johnson said the Diversion Program currently has 95 offenders in the program.

“We did a study of our Diversion Program and concluded that after five years the recidivism rate was 23 percent,” he said. “People that have been involved in our Diversion Program generally have not reoffended.”

Johnson said the county has also developed one of the strongest Victim/Witness Programs in the state.

“Our Victim/Witness Advocates are strong proponents of victim’s rights and are not afraid to raise issues that our prosecutors, judges and defense attorneys are not always aware,” he said. “We also receive numerous letters and contacts from victims who have positively benefitted from their services. It is an office that provides an enormous benefit to the criminal system but at times operates under the radar.”

Johnson also noted that he started the District Attorney’s Stop Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program in 1990. The program involves fourth through seventh graders in St. Croix County submitting anti-drug and alcohol abuse posters to the District Attorney’s Office.

Johnson is a native of Manitowoc, and graduated from Luther College and Hamline Law School. Johnson also attended American University in Washington, D.C.

Johnson was the St. Croix County assistant district attorney from 1982 to 1984 and was elected district attorney in Pierce County from 1984 to 1989. In 1989 Johnson was appointed by Governor Tommy Thompson as district attorney in St. Croix County and has been re-elected to that position since 1990. Johnson is currently the second longest serving district attorney in the State of Wisconsin.

Johnson has served as president of the Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association in 1989 and 1995. Johnson was also awarded the Attorney General’s Certificate of Recognition in May 1995. Johnson also received the Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association Award for Dedication and Service in 1995.

Johnson is married, lives in North Hudson and has three children.

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