Gov. Evers eases lockdowns at 2 prisons, seeks to improve conditions

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- After months of lockdowns at two of Wisconsin's oldest prisons, Gov. Tony Evers is taking steps to ease restrictions as advocates have been calling on the administration to act.

On Tuesday, Evers and the Department of Corrections announced plans to start lifting restrictions on inmates' movement at Waupun and Green Bay prisons that have both been on lockdown, or what's called "modified movement" by the Department of Corrections, as the facilities struggle with staffing shortages.

It comes as Waupun has been under heightened scrutiny following inmate deaths and as the facility faces a federal lawsuit from inmates who call the current conditions inhumane.

Advocates and family members of inmates at both prisons have described conditions during the lockdowns as cruel, with limited access to medical care, showers, recreation, and contact with loved ones.

"You're treating people like animals. How do you expect them to react?" said Jim Rafter, village president of Allouez, where the Green Bay Correctional Institution is located.

"It scares the heck out of me. GBCI is a powder keg that is about to blow."

Rafter said he appreciates the governor's steps but argues more needs to be done.

"Anything short of a full closure of GBCI, in my opinion, is woefully inadequate," he said.

A 2020 state-funded report found that the nearly 125-year-old prison should be shut down, but neither Evers nor the GOP-controlled Legislature supported plans to do that. Evers directed DOC to study upgrades at both Green Bay and Waupun but noted it would be costly.

At Waupun, the state's oldest and most understaffed facility, Evers said he wants to move 220 inmates to other correctional institutions to relieve staffing issues. Evers' deadline is March 1.

Sen. Van Wanggaard, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, questioned the plan and believes it's not feasible given overcrowding issues at other prisons.

"Quite honestly, the math doesn't work," Wanggaard said. "I'm not understanding how they are going to do this and what their thinking is to reduce the number of inmates."

Wanggard said he had plans to meet with DOC Secretary Kevin Carr on Wednesday to discuss the administration's plans.

Evers and Carr visited Waupun last Thursday and the governor's office said he plans to visit more prisons over the next few weeks.

The proposal unveiled by Evers also seeks to improve safety at all correctional facilities and ease a worker shortage that has been exacerbated by dangerous conditions and forced overtime that's contributed to high burnout rates.

At least three inmates have died at Waupun in the last four months. There were also two suicides at the Green Bay prisons from 2019 to 2022, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

From 2020-2022, assaults or attempted assaults at Waupun spiked from 10 to 110, according to DOC data. That trend was significantly reduced when the prison was placed on lockdown in March.

Green Bay has been on lockdown since June.

The vacancy rate at Waupun was nearly 55% for correctional officers and sergeants, while Green Bay was at 40.9% during the last pay period (Oct. 22 - Nov. 4). Evers plan calls for 22 staff members from other institutions to provide support to Waupun.

To help alleviate staffing shortages, lawmakers did approve pay raises for correctional officers in the most recent state budget. That includes raising the starting hourly wage to $33 an hour.

"We will be closely monitoring these efforts and evaluating their effectiveness toward relieving staffing pressure, and I will accept the department’s recommendations for capital project options if these efforts are unsuccessful in reducing the vacancy rate, and adequately improving staffing numbers given the structural challenges and limitations of our correctional institutions," Evers said in a statement.

In 2018, Evers ran on reducing the state's prison population but many of his initiatives to reform the criminal justice system, such as releasing low-level offenders, have faced opposition from Republicans.

A group of Democrats also recently proposed a series of changes to increase inmates' access to hygiene products, recreation, the outdoors, and communication with family and friends among other proposals that address oversight.

The package of bills currently lacks support from Republican lawmakers.