Taylor Carmain

December 15, 2017

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 its 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 the 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 them over the

other and then a counter-argument and why I still chose the solution. The first solution will be

creating rehabilitation centers for inmates and the second solution will be about spending more

money to create new prisons and more beds for the inmates. The fourth segment will be the

conclusion and faith integration. The conclusion will pull everything that was talked about in the

paper and the faith integration will have some Bible verses and how I believe as a Christian, we

should look at the problem. Wisconsin prisons are facing a deficit of overcrowding in the

prisons. My argument for this paper is why we should have rehabilitation centers instead of

creating more buildings and beds for the inmates.

 The history of the corrections department for prisons in Wisconsin helped shape what and

how it got to be where it is today. The Wisconsin.Gov website gives a clear detailed timeline of

the department of 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

Wisconsin has seen.

A 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

they failed to follow rule of extended supervision.

Throughout the years of the department corrections 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

rooms to house inmates.

 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

they are ready.

The first solution is getting non-violent first offenders out of prisons and into

rehabilitation centers. In the article “Wisconsin's Overcrowded Prisons Aren't Rehabilitating

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’s 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. Creating rehab centers 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

overcrowding in Wisconsin Prisons, I believe as a Christian, it is important to look at how as a

human, and a person of society, should view this certain topic. The Bible verse 2 Peter 3-9 is a

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 humans, 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. When someone confesses to sin and allows the Lord into their hearts

to for a fresh start, it allows the past to become a blessing because you’d learn from your past

mistakes. In comparison to rehab centers, they allow somebody a fresh start because they’d be

better themselves.
 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

Alliance, Wisconsin Taxpayers. "WisTax: State Prison Population Rising Again." Urban Milwaukee.

N.p., 4 May 2017. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

Corley, Cheryl. "Wisconsin Prisons Incarcerate Most Black Men In U.S." NPR. NPR, 03 Oct. 2013.

Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

Davies, Emily. "7 Investigates: Jail Overcrowding." WSAW - Content - News. N.p., 3 July 2017. Web.

19 Nov. 2017.

"Department History." DOC Department History. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

Marley, Patrick. "Wisconsin's Rising Prison Population Poses Budget Challenges." Milwaukee Journal

Sentinel. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2017. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

Mills, Emily. "Emily's Post: Wisconsin's Overcrowded Prisons Aren't Rehabilitating Inmates." Isthmus |

Madison, Wisconsin. N.p., 04 Mar. 2010. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

State Bar of Wisconsin. "Mar 01, 2015." WisBar. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2017.

U.S.News. "Wisconsin Prison Population Edging Toward New Record." N.p., 1 May 2017. Web.

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.