Protest held in Racine; families call for a lift on prison lockdowns

 

RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Governor Evers plans to loosen the lockdowns at state prisons that resulted in low staff, but two weeks after his announcement, families of those incarcerated gathered in Racine, asking "where's the justice?"

Among the group, two moms who say it's almost too much to bear. Their sons are restricted to the four walls of their cells, rodents crawling on the floor, and toilets badly backed up.

"It's inhumane to have them sit in those cells all the time," said Tanya Wooden, mother of David Canady. 

Those with a grudge against the Wisconsin Department of Corrections sounded off outside the Racine County Courthouse because that is where their personal stories began. 

"My journey started on that second window in that building," said one man at the rally outside the courthouse.

Tanya Wooden and Terressa Russell have both told their sons, if you do the crime, you do the time. But they didn't expect prison to go like this.

"That's hell for him and it's hell for me, my heart just breaks," said Wooden. 

Waupun's lockdown began in March, Green Bay's lockdown began in June. 

"You can't even keep an animal locked up in a room for a certain amount of time because that's against the law," said Russell. 

Both of their sons, Darion Person and David Canady are serving time at the Green Bay Correctional Institution, and both say that the lockdowns have hurt their sons' mental health. 

"I feel in my opinion that when he gets ready to come home, that he's gonna be in a worser state than he was going to prison," said Russell. 

"God, we stand in solidarity with every prisoner that is forced to endure the inhumane conditions in Green Bay," the group prayed.

Prisoners have been forced to do everything in their cells. Eating in there caused another problem, rodents.

"I mean sleeping with mice, no programming, no education, in your cell all the time," said Wooden. 

 Wooden and Russell say they are not getting rehabilitative programs, things like alcohol and drug treatment, anger management, and education.

These mom's say Governor Evers' plan to ease restrictions on inmates' movements at Green Bay and Waupun is not making a difference. 

Families have concern on many levels. It's the isolation, the rodents. It's the overall cleanliness of the old prisons, and hygiene too. They are only allowed to shower once a week. 

We reached out to Governor Evers office and to the Department of Corrections but have not heard back.