Wisconsin has a prison crisis and GOP intransigence only makes it worse

 

Top headline:  Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Bottom headline:  Wisconsin State Journal

Jim Rafter, president of the Village of Allouez, lays it out for legislators.

There is no excuse for the conditions in which inmates live and employees work. The buildings are in great disrepair, vermin have infested living spaces, cell rooms are incredibly small; these conditions and more issues have kept people from seeking employment there, thus creating a lower quality of life for all those incarcerated. The poor physical conditions in tandem with the social issues inside the facility have led to increased mental health problems and crises, resulting in many people becoming suicidal.

Related posts:

2025

Wisconsin has a prison crisis and the GOP wants to make it worse.  (3/25)

Government inefficiency case study.  (2/27)

2024

Wisconsin Republicans have blood on their hands.  (7/10)  

You can lay the current prison crisis in Wisconsin at the feet of Scott Walker.  (2/6)  

2022

Wisconsin's decision to build two youth prisons in Lincoln County was not made with rehabilitation in mind.  (5/16)

2019
Scott Walker's legacy: The Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake youth prison scandal.  (1/16)

2018
If 3 years is "a long time ago", what is 1993?  (10/6)
There are two sides to every story and then there's the truth.  (3/15)
Drop in juvenile detention rates has done nothing to address racial disparities.  (1/29) 

2017
UPDATE: Based on recent evidence, the facilities' remote location and chronic staffing shortage keeps Juvenile Corrections from fulfilling its mission.  (11/28)
It's 243 miles, and a world away, from Racine to Irma.  (10/31)
UPDATE.  And, by extension, make Scott Walker look bad.  (10/10)

2016
Point/counterpoint: Open records and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.  (8/8)
State workers watching porn gets Scott Walker all het up but mistreating juvenile inmates -- not so much.  (7/6) 
Wendy Peterson schedules a Lincoln Hills double bill.  (4/7)
Wendy Peterson shares her favorite Hollywood movie prison scenes.  (4/7)
Former Wisconsin DOC Secretary tries to take advantage of Walker administration disdain for open records law.  (3/26)
 Dear Ed Wall, Taking the job is just the first step.  (3/20)
Has the State of Wisconsin got a deal for Ed Wall!!  (3/1)
The Lincoln Hills Scandal slide show timeline: Scott Walker's bottom line is to cover his butt.  (2/28)
LINCOLN HILLS SCANDAL UPDATE: Scott Walker and the broken chain of command (with Jessie Rodriguez exception).  (2/27) 
Hands-off manager Scott Walker must still be licking his Presidential campaign wounds.  (1/14)
Because Scott Walker believes he's hired the best employees to work for the citizens of our state.  (1/9)

2015
Selective Republican logic inoperative when applied to Wisconsin juvenile corrections program.  (12/24)
The dysfunction of Scott Walker's executive branch of government in 1 defensive quote.  (12/20)
Scott Walker and Lincoln Hills School for Boys: Too busy thinking about his (presidential) baby.  (12/19)
Still in the news: Lincoln Hills School for Boys.  (12/13)
Scott Walker shows us how to deflect (Taking no responsibility, chapter 2).  (12/12) 
As usual, Scott Walker takes no responsibility.  (12/11)
In the news: Lincoln Hills School for Boys, Wisconsin Department of Corrections.  (12/11)