GOP state senator claims state ‘lost control’ of youth prison

(The Center Square) – One Wisconsin state senator says the state has lost control of one of its youth prisons, but not to the inmates.

Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, last week said the state no longer controls the youth facility because of an agreement with the ACLU and a federal judge that limits how guards can handle misbehavior.

“[Wisconsin] willingly entered into a consent decree with the ACLU and U.S. District Court in Madison following a lawsuit alleging abuse at Lincoln Hills in 2018,” Wanggaard said in a statement. “The consent decree places limits on when and what types of behavior modification tools can be used by Lincoln Hills staff. It is regularly monitored by a court-appointed official. In the monitor’s most recent report, Lincoln Hills was in ‘substantial compliance’ with 43 of 50 requirements.”

The heart of the decree limits when staff at Lincoln Hills can use pepper spray, and other punishments on young offenders. Wanggaard said the ideas behind the decree are understandable, but the day-to-day impact is unacceptable.

“The consent decree seems to be a theoretical exercise that doesn’t translate to the real world,” Wanggaard added. “Staff assaults have increased, despite a decreasing population and the implementation of ‘evidence-based’ policies. Nearly everyone said OC (pepper) spray may or may not be the answer, but staff said in some instances, it doesn’t have any other options available either.”

Lincoln Hills has been back in the headlines after an inmate killed a teacher there in late June.

On Tuesday, Ron Hermes the administrator for the Department of Juvenile Justice told the Governor's Juvenile Justice Commission that both the staff and inmates were notified and offered counseling after the attack.

He didn’t respond to Wanggaard’s claims but did say the attack prompted another round of training.

“So, we continue to train staff, and provide them with refresher trainings to ensure safety for themselves and for the youth at the facility,” Hermes told commissioners.

Wanggaard said there need to be more than just refresher trainings at Wisconsin’s youth prisons.

“We can’t continue juvenile corrections this same way at a new location and expect different results,” Wanggaard said. “It will continue to be a recipe for disaster.”