MADISON, Wis. — In the wake of a tragic incident at Wisconsin’s only youth prison where a counselor was fatally injured, Governor Tony Evers has urged a federal judge to maintain the current operational standards at Lincoln Hills-Copper Lake Schools. The request follows accusations made against an inmate involved in the counselor’s death earlier this summer.
Governor Evers, a Democrat, addressed his concerns in a missive to Chief Judge James Peterson of the Western District of Wisconsin. He highlighted ongoing improvements at the facility and cautioned against the possibility of loosened punitive measures potentially advocated by Republican legislators. This conservative push is seen by some as a potential backtrack from reforms aimed at curbing staff-on-inmate violence.
Historically, Lincoln Hills-Copper Lake has grappled with severe allegations of abuse, including claims of excessive use of force and unwarranted strip searches. A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in 2017 resulted in a 2018 consent decree under former Governor Scott Walker’s administration. The decree strictly limited the use of solitary confinement, mechanical restraints, and pepper spray.
According to legal documents, the chain of events leading to the recent death began on June 24 when a 16-year-old boy assaulted a counselor and subsequently attacked Corey Proulx, another counselor, leading to injuries from which Proulx later succumbed. This incident has intensified calls from the prison staff and some lawmakers to reevaluate the restrictions imposed by the consent decree.
Republican Senator Van Wanggaard, chair of the Senate judiciary committee, spearheaded a collective request to State Corrections Secretary Jared Hoy seeking judicial reconsideration of the decree’s terms to potentially reintegrate measures like pepper spray.
Governor Evers, in his correspondence, refuted the notion of reverting to old punitive tactics, citing a disregard for the abusive past that necessitated the reforms. He underscored improvements in the facility’s environment, highlighting enhanced relations between staff and inmates and ongoing efforts to boost staffing levels, including increased overtime and routine staff wellness check-ins.
Further demonstrating his administration’s commitment, Evers revealed plans to visit the prison and noted that Secretary Hoy has been on-site weekly since the incident. The improvements made thus far were recently lauded by a national juvenile justice board, recognizing Wisconsin as a leader in prison reform.
Reaction from the ACLU’s camp was pending, as lead attorney Emily Stedman had not responded to inquiries about the governor’s assertions at the time of reporting.
Meanwhile, critics like Wanggaard’s aide, Scott Kelly, argue that the governor is overly rigid, clinging to policies that potentially exacerbate rather than alleviate the facility’s underlying issues.
As tensions simmer between reform advocates and those pleading for enhanced security measures, the discourse underscores a challenging balance between rehabilitation efforts and maintaining order and safety within juvenile detention environments.