Wisconsin’s second-oldest prison, built in the 1800s and often targeted for closure, is set to finally close under a new proposal by Governor Tony Evers. The plan aims to bring significant changes to the state’s correctional system without building a new facility, which some lawmakers have previously suggested.
Evers presented his plan as the most effective way to address the state’s aging prisons, which have faced numerous issues, including deaths of incarcerated individuals, staff assaults (including one incident that resulted in the death of a juvenile guard), lockdowns, lawsuits, federal investigations, criminal charges against prison staff, resignations, and growing maintenance expenses.
The proposal, which is estimated to cost about $500 million, was made public on Sunday. However, it still requires approval from the Republican-controlled Legislature, which has supported certain parts of the plan in the past but has also blocked initiatives from the Democratic governor on previous occasions.
Governor Evers argued that his proposal is a more effective solution than constructing a new adult prison, which he claimed would take at least ten years to build and cost over $1.3 billion. During a briefing on Friday, Evers emphasized that his plan is the best available option and urged both Democrats and Republicans to collaborate to make it a reality. “We have to get this done, period,” he said.
Governor Tony Evers has highlighted that maintaining Wisconsin’s outdated, overcrowded, and understaffed prisons is no longer a viable solution. His proposed plan, which aims to address the state’s correctional system issues, suggests several changes without building a new facility, as some lawmakers had previously suggested.
The plan begins by shutting down the troubled Lincoln Hills and Cooper Lake juvenile correctional facilities in northern Wisconsin. A new juvenile facility will be built near Madison on the site of an existing minimum security prison. The Lincoln Hills campus would then be transformed into a medium-security adult facility, while the century-old Green Bay prison would be closed.
Additionally, the proposal recommends converting Wisconsin’s oldest prison, located in Waupun and built in 1851, from a maximum security institution to a medium-security facility that focuses on vocational training. The Stanley Correctional Center would undergo a conversion from medium to maximum security, and the Hobart prison would be expanded to include 200 additional minimum security beds.
A major aspect of Governor Evers’ plan is to expand the earned release program, allowing individuals convicted of nonviolent offenses to be eligible for earlier release.
The proposed changes are set to be implemented over the next six years.
Both Republicans and Democrats have long called for the closure of the Waupun and Green Bay prisons, but concerns about job losses in those communities and the cost of constructing new prisons have been significant obstacles.
The Evers administration has assured that the new plan would not result in any staff layoffs.
Evers expressed hope that lawmakers would unite in support of the plan, similar to the bipartisan agreement in 2017 to close the Lincoln Hills juvenile facility. However, despite that agreement, the Lincoln Hills facility remains open after eight years, with challenges hindering the closure process.