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Intermediate Composition
Prof. Bowley
Wisconsin prisons face a problem of overcrowding in their systems. More inmates are
being held in prisons then should be. This is a problem that Wisconsin is facing because
overcrowding could lead to violence in the system, people being held over non-violent first
offenders, and the cost for Wisconsin taxpayers is at an all time high. I will be organizing this
paper in six segments. The first segment will be the introduction and the thesis segment. The
introduction and thesis will include everything that this paper holds and what it’s purpose is. The
second segment is the history segment. The history segment will have where the problem started,
what it was like before and after, and what are they key factors that contributed to the
history. The third segment will be the advocacy segment. The advocacy segment is going to be
about solutions. I will be showing two different solutions, why I prefer one of there other, and
then a counter-argument and why I still chose the solution. The fourth segment will be the
conclusion and faith integration. The conclusion will elope everything that was talked about in
the paper and the faith integration will have some bible verses and how I believe as a christian,
The history of the corrections department for prisons in Wisconsin helped shape what and
corrections. This detailed timeline shows significant dates that correlate with how many inmates
were held during a certain time, for what, and how much each of it cost. According to this
website, in the year of 1852, Wisconsin’s Henry brown held 27 inmates, being the first
commissioner. It held 25 males and two females. In the year 1854, Wisconsin’s South Cell Hall
went up in inmates. There was 66 males and five females. Each cell cost $325. The North Cell
Hall had to build another 240 cells because the inmate population grew at such a rapid pace in
the year 1867, Each cell cost $189 dollars. This hall held 180 male inmates. In Wisconsin
Waupun, in the year 1957, maximum security had to build 50 beds. This was intended to keep
malcontents away from the general public. In the year 1981 overcrowding became an all time
high problem in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Inmates had to transfer to another prison. The daily
population was now at 3,821. In the year 1990, Kenosha, Wisconsin opened up 60 beds for men
in maximum security. In 1995, 500 beds opened in the DCI. This included 50 beds used for
segregation against those who needed to be apart from other inmates. It also had 64 beds for
infirmity, and 50 beds for females. In the year 1999, 47.5 million dollars was spent on 500 beds
for a supermax prison. This was for isolated cells for the most dangerous inmates. From the year
1852 to 1999 it gives a clear overview and insight of the staggering numbers of inmates that
U.S.News article titled Wisconsin Prison Population Edging Toward New Record, there
was also key information about the history of overcrowding in Wisconsin Prisons. In this article
is states that the department of correction experts estimate that in 2019 Prisons will be seeing a
new all time high. They believe this number will reach up to 23,322 inmates. They also saw a
decline in population in 2008, but then population started to rise in 2013. With this all time high
supposedly coming, they also estimate that it will cost 1.1 billion dollars in the next two years.
In another website source I used called “Urban Milwaukee titled State Prison Population
Rising Again” it also gave insight on some history of the Wisconsin Prison system. This article
in particular focused on facts about what inmates were in there for and age groups. Between the
years of 1997 to 2007, spending rose from 110% on trying to house all inmates. In the year
2006, prisons consisted of 39% inmates under the age of 29. Also in the year 2006, inmates
serving 5 or more years was 28%. In 2016, inmates serving 5 or more years is now 36%. In the
year 2006, inmates serving time due to violence was 59%. In 2016, inmates serving time due to
violence is now at 67%. According to this article, in the years 2013 to 2016, the inmate
population grew a staggering 3.4%. The state budget is estimating that in the year 2017 to the
year 2019, it looks like it will rise another 1.8%. They are hoping for a 0.4% fall anywhere
between the two years. In 2016, inmates from the ages of 30 to 39 rose from 29% to 31%.
Inmates over 50 years of age have doubled since the last count. Public Offenders such as drunk
drivers went from 8% to 9%. In the year 2015, 31% of inmates has returned to prison because
Throughout the years of the department correction system in Wisconsin, it has been a
staggering number of inmates and the prices to house inmates. On thing throughout the history
that I have noticed that instead of trying to get inmates out of the system and creating something
besides a cell, the department of correction system of Wisconsin is automatically making more
There are many solutions that have been brought up over the years for overcrowding in the
Wisconsin Prison system. The two solutions I will be discussing are getting non-violent first
offenders out of prisons and into rehabilitation centers/good time credits and spending more
money to build more buildings and beds for house inmates. The solution that I believe would be
most effective is getting non-violent first offenders out of prisons and into the real world when
Inmates” by Emily’s Post, it talks about an act. This act that is mentioned is called the Wisconsin
Act 28. This particular act was introduced during the budget meeting last year. It’s main goal
was to create an early-release for inmates to help with the population. In particular it focused
around non-violent first offenders. This act did not pass due to multiple flaws found in the act
that didn’t quite make sense with what the act was suppose to establish. Some of those flaws
involve offenses that aren’t non-violent such as abuse against on child and stalking. In this same
article, it mentions the program such as MATC, horticultural programs, high school equivalency,
and a library program. Emily’s Post wrote that a prison Librarian by the name of Kyle Labilicy
has witnessed first hand at how great these programs have helped inmates. Kyle says, “I can tell
you that very few of the men who have worked for me as inmate clerks have returned to similar
or higher security level of incarceration, or reoffended. I can only think of two out of probably
30-35 in almost seven years.” This quote proves that programs such as the one mentioned by
Kyle Labilicy, help inmates find a path in something that they are good at, a new hobby, or a
new passion. With inmates finding new hobbies and passions, it keeps them busy from what they
used to know.
There is a program called ‘good time credits’. These good time credits allow inmates to
get out of the system quicker using rehabilitation centers. In the article “Wisconsin Lawyer: Let
the Good Time Roll: Early Release for Good Behavior in Prison” by the Wisconsin Bar, it talks
about how Wisconsin should add good time credits. I will also be comparing it to Washington, to
show that it is good idea to bring it to Wisconsin. In the article it states that good time credits
encourage inmates and gets them excited about good behavior. Good time credits will reduce
prison overcrowding and lower taxes for taxpayers. For example, in New York, good time
credits saved taxpayers 387 million dollars. Good time credits will also provide an incentive to
inmates because in order to get good time credits, one must work for them. Good time credits
come from getting a job in prison, taking classes, and taking advantage of programming, all of
this aka rehabilitation centers. One state in particular that use good time credits would be
Washington. According to the same article by the Wisconsin Bar, Washington’s model for good
time credits could possibly be a great setup for Wisconsin to follow because it is middle
balanced. Inmate’s time from good credit would be one-third reduction of time being served.
When offered a release date, inmates must come up a plan that they have to present in front of
the department of corrections. This plan must include job, where they’d life, earnings, stability
and what they learned in rehabilitation centers. 16-23% of inmates that present their plan get
their release date pushed back by two to three months because the department of corrections
wasn’t happy with their plan. This would be good for Wisconsin to get ahold of again because it
will help with overcrowding and it will allow inmates to get ahold of rehabilitation centers and
get them excited about starting a new life away from the system.
The second solution is how the department of corrections for Wisconsin wants to spend
40 million taxpayer dollars over the next two years by creating more space for inmates to live. In
the article With Wisconsin Prisons Overcrowded, Officials Want to Pay More to Counties to
House State Prisoners by DailyKos, WI Budget Project it talks about this in depth. According to
this article, the department of corrections proposed spending 40 million dollars over the next two
years to expand contracts with local governments and local jails to house and bed inmates that
don’t fit in the prisons. Department of corrections officials noted in the 2017-2019 budget
request “Due to current prison populations, space does not exist in Department of Corrections
Institutions to house and provide programming, for the addition projected population.” The state
officials have managed limit the financial cost of putting more people in the prisons then can be
held. In the year 2013, they spend 1.5 billion already, that’s over 10x more than per-state.
While looking at both these solutions, I believe that the first solution, creating
rehabilitation centers and good time credits is more feasible than solution b, spending more
money. I believe this because creating more programs for inmates to get involved in will help
inmates find new interests, a job, and it will allow them to become great citizens that will help
with community prosper while they prospore themselves. It will allow Wisconsin inmates a
second chance at life, especially those who deserve a second chance because they are non-violent
first offenders. Allowing inmates to learn valuable skills and getting them out of jail sooner can
do a lot because they might have a family they have to provide for. A counterargument that
might be used against this is what if they offend again and create the same crime because
allowing them to get out might not be enough time for them to fully learn their lesson. My
response to that would be the quicker Wisconsin can get non-violent first offenders into
rehabilitation centers and get started on good-time credits, the quicker it will allow those new
inmates to start learning new skills right away. With those new skills that they are learning, they
are going to find new interests, new hobbies, and hopefully something that they are passionate
about. Rehabilitation center’s are also used for not only a jail job, or doing extra work, it can also
be used as a classroom setting. Many inmates need to learn the danger of what they’ve
committed, even if it was non-violent. When people learn from their mistakes, they see where
they went wrong, and then where they can better themselves.
After going over the history and what can be done to help the current issue of
great example and reminder that the Lord wants us to better ourselves in his name, not only for
his sake but for ours, to save ourselves. The verse is, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise
as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but all
should reach repentance.” While integrating my faith, this reminds me of why I also chose
rehabilitation centers over creating more beds and rooms for inmates. Every single day is a new
day to start fresh and to live through the Lord. People deserve second chances, and as a human, I
believe that we are in no-shape or form to judge others based on their mistakes or past, because
once forgiven by the Lord, we are seen new. Another powerful verse that talks about second
chances is 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all righteousness.” This verse is important in my faith intergretation and why I
chose rehabilitation because I truly believe that inmates that want to better themselves, are the
most hard on themselves because they know the problem, and they know what they need to do to
fix it to better themselves. Allowing inmates to find something that they are passionate about it
frees them from thinking about what they knew beforehand, whatever it is that got them in
trouble in the first place. Allowing the Lord into our lives as a Christian, allows us to take the
Overall, Wisconsin’s problem of overcrowding in the system has taken a toll on the
inmates and on the taxpayers. The problem started in 1852 when Wisconsin became the first
commissioner. If the problem continues to go grow without change, by the year 2019 Wisconsin
can be looking at over 23 thousand people in the system, more than half of those being for petty
crimes. I believe that people should choose creating rehabilitation centers instead of spending 40
million dollars to create for living space because it gives people a second chance, especially
when their crimes are nonviolent - first offenses, and cuts the taxpayers a break. When allowing
inmates a second chance at life, they can become great adds for society and it gives them a
second chance to make things right with themselves, their families, and for the world.
Working Bibliography
Corley, Cheryl. "Wisconsin Prisons Incarcerate Most Black Men In U.S." NPR. NPR, 03 Oct. 2013.
In the article Wisconsin Prisons Incarcerate Most Black Men In U.S written by Cheryl
Corley, it talks about the basic but important facts about the prisons in wisconsin and their
inmate count for black men. Wisconsin is the highest population for black men incarcerated due
to drug offenses. It is nearly double the country's rate, leading by 13%. It spiked during the years
2000-2008. 40% of men that are locked up are locked up for low-level drug offenses.
This article is important to the subject because it gives a clear example of what one of the many
problems that Wisconsin prisons face and even towards certain people. It’s credible because it’s
Davies, Emily. "7 Investigates: Jail Overcrowding." WSAW - Content - News. N.p., 3 July 2017. Web.
19 Nov. 2017.
This article talks about a specific County jail in Marathon County, Wisconsin. This jail
has been overcrowded for 20 years. It has a total of 400 inmates but only has enough to house
250. They did have an expansion in the year 2000, but before they started that, it was over
crowded. This jail has housed inmates in other facilities, anywhere between 100-200 but that cost
is $50 daily for each individual inmate. In this jail 85% of cases are due to drugs, and more
This source is important because it shows the differences between what people are in the system
for and it breaks it down by percentages and the years, which will also help with the history
portion. This source is credible because it’s coming from Wisconsin system itself.
Marley, Patrick. "Wisconsin's Rising Prison Population Poses Budget Challenges." Milwaukee Journal
This article talks about the specific problem that has come with overcrowded inmates in
Wisconsin, the budget crisis. According to the article, the state of Wisconsin can be paying over
2 billion dollars if Gov. Scott Walker assumptions are wrong. Wisconsin Prisons alone hold
more than twenty-two thousand adult inmates. If their calculations are correct, prisons could be
holding about 1,200 more inmates in each place by the year 2019. Wisconsin prisons were
designed to only hold 16,300 adults but they are now housing 7,000 times that.
This source is important because it’s talking about who the current leader is that can initially help
the problem at hand and what needs to be done about. This is credible because it’s using relevant
In this article, it talks about the population rising again, giving an insight as how it was
before vs. now. The number of inmates has rose from 3.4% from 2013-2016 after a decline of
3.2% three years previous to that. In 2006 inmates under the age of 29 was about 33% of
inmates. Inmates serving five or more years from 2006 was around 36%. Nearly a third of
correction officials were offenders that were coming off from violating rules and not being good
supervisions.
This source is important because it’s showing the drastic changes that the wisconsin prisons have
seen over the course of the years. It is credible because its came from the wisconsin system itself.
Department of Corrections.
"Department History." DOC Department History. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.
This sight gives a detailed timeline of the corrections department’s history from the very
beginning to 2002.
This source is important because it gives an exact layout of where what exactly happened from
the time it came about to 2002. This is credible because it came from a wisconsin system itself.
U.S.News. "Wisconsin Prison Population Edging Toward New Record." N.p., 1 May 2017. Web.
In this article written by a Wisconsin news article it goes into talking about how prisons are
reaching a new record high from the past. According to this article, by June 2019 Wisconsin will
have a total of over 23 thousand inmates. The inmate population was at a steady growth until
2008 where they started to see drastic changes. It is expected to cost wisconsin over 1.1 billion in
This source is important because it gives people a reality check of what Wisconsin is looking like
in the system if they keep up the ways that they are going and not change it. It is credible
Mills, Emily. "Emily's Post: Wisconsin's Overcrowded Prisons Aren't Rehabilitating Inmates." Isthmus |
Mills, she talks about how they should create jobs instead of trying to make more beds. Mills
talks about how they need to create solid plan that would release non-violent offenders earlier.
She would go about that way by with what Gov. Doyle had attempted to do. Which was a pass of
Wisconsin Act 28. It would have created a system that would have released inmates that needed
This source was important for me to use because this person gave great detail about the things
that Wisconsin has tried to push and is trying to push for helping with the overcrowded issue.
She mentions things in this article of hers that I didn’t know existed. This article is credible
because she gives credit to where credit is due and links to places that are legit websites to
Wisconsin.gov places.
WI Budget Project. "With Wisconsin Prisons Overcrowded, Officials Want to Pay More to Counties to
House State Prisoners." Daily Kos. N.p., 3 Oct. 2016. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.
In this article, With Wisconsin Prisons Overcrowded, Officials want to Pay More to Counties
to House State Prisoners by the Daily Kos, it talks about how the department of corrections gave
the idea of spending 40 million to expand contracts to allow more room to house state inmates.
They projected this as a program that would allow additional projected population.
This article was important for me to because it brought insight for the history and how it can be
State Bar of Wisconsin. "Mar 01, 2015." WisBar. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.
In this article by the State Bar of Wisconsin, It talks about how they want to do early release for
the good behaved inmates. They call this good time credits. They want to bring these good time
credits back because of the booming rates the Wisconsin prisons have been facing with inmate
population.
This source was important for me to use because it gave great insight on a way that they can
control the overcrowding issue. This is a credible source because it came from a wisconsin
system itself.