MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Governor Tony Evers says reforms have successfully been completed at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools, following a second successful report issued Wednesday, Jan. 28.

The state was placed under court order requiring dozens of reforms and regular visits by a court-approved monitor following a 2017 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) over child abuse and mistreatment claims at the state's juvenile corrections facilities. 

The Department of Corrections (DOC) is now asking the federal court to end court monitoring after a successful report in October and subsequent successful report Wednesday.

Evers says this is another step forward in efforts to close the facilities and move youth to new facilities closer to their home communities. 

“This has been a goal a decade in the making, and it’s tremendous to be able to celebrate the completion of reforms at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools today,” said Gov. Evers. “This is a win for our state, a win for youth in our care, and a win for those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the needed advancement of our justice system.

The ACLU says they are not opposing the motion to terminate monitoring.

“When we started this lawsuit in 2017, the use of pepper spray on children, solitary confinement, shackling, and strip searches were rampant at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake. Today, those practices have been eliminated or significantly restricted at the facilities, and the reforms codified into binding regulations,” said ACLU of Wisconsin Senior Staff Attorney Tim Muth.

According to the ACLU, the report issued by the court-appointed monitor, states: 

“For the second time since the entry of the Consent Decree, the Defendants have achieved substantial compliance with all provisions. This accomplishment reflects years of deliberate and meaningful reform, including the elimination of OC spray, the removal of punitive room confinement, the reduction of restraint usage and confinement in general, the use of MANDT, the implementation of a robust behavior management system and programming, efforts to reduce idleness, and a strong emphasis on staff wellness. These measures have produced a demonstrable improvement in the safety, climate, and culture of the facilities. Sustaining these reforms and maintaining a commitment to continuous improvement must remain a top priority, not just to protect youth and staff but also to ensure continued compliance with the Consent Decree, which has now been codified in the Wisconsin Administrative Code. These code provisions govern not only LHS/CLS but also any future Type I facilities.”

ACLU says the monitor also instructed the facilities not to become complacent and to have a "thoughtful plan" for transitioning youth out of the facilities.