In a significant move for Wisconsin’s correctional system, the State Building Commission has authorized the release of $15 million dedicated to the initial planning and design phase of a broader initiative to reform the state’s prisons.
This decision marks the beginning of a multi-step proposal aimed at the closure of a problematic prison near Green Bay.
Despite unanimous support for the funding release, Republican members of the commission voiced opposition to aspects of Governor Tony Evers’ prison restructuring plan, which includes reducing the prison system’s capacity.
Governor Evers expressed his willingness to consider feedback but emphasized the urgency of closing the Green Bay Correctional Institution, stating, “Let’s just get something goddamn done here, please. We got to fix the system, and we have an opportunity now.”
The approved funds were initially allocated by the Republican-led Legislature as part of the two-year budget endorsed by Evers earlier this year.
Republicans challenge proposed reduction in prison capacity
Republican legislators have raised concerns about the governor’s intention to decrease the state’s prison capacity by 700 beds, favoring instead an increase of approximately 160 beds systemwide. Cameil Bowler, representing state Sen. Mary Felzkowski, indicated that these figures are preliminary for negotiations.
“We’re not saying that that’s the absolute plan here,” Felzkowski mentioned. “It’s a proposal that we’ve worked on, but we need to sit down in a bipartisan fashion and look at the future.”
State Rep. Van Wanggaard highlighted the GOP’s focus on “right-sizing” the prison population to alleviate overcrowding and enhance safety, whereas Rep. Mark Born criticized the feasibility of reducing prison beds given current legal and societal trends.
Wisconsin faces challenges with an overcrowded prison system
Currently, about 23,000 inmates are housed in facilities designed for far fewer, exceeding capacity by over 5,800 inmates according to the Department of Corrections. The prison population has significantly increased since 1990.
Governor Evers, who has advocated for reducing this number, proposed a $500 million plan to reorganize the prison system, including the closure of Green Bay and modifications to other facilities.
The Green Bay prison, dating back to 1898, suffers from overcrowding, outdated infrastructure, and incidents of violence, underscoring the necessity of its eventual closure.
There is bipartisan agreement on the need to close the Green Bay facility, although Evers has removed a fixed closure deadline without a comprehensive legislative plan.
Debate over the project’s scope continues
Although a Republican motion to require specific planning for the Green Bay prison’s closure failed, GOP members are cautiously optimistic following Evers’ commitment to collaborate with legislators.
The commission’s decision also involves planning for the conversion of the Lincoln Hills youth facility into an adult prison and transforming the Waupun prison to focus on vocational training, although the latter lacks current funding support.
Waupun, older than the Green Bay prison, has faced calls for closure from criminal justice advocates due to its age and condition.
