Governor Evers to Propose Ambitious Overhaul of Wisconsin's Corrections System

Tuesday, February 18th, 2025 -- 1:01 PM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) Governor Tony Evers will propose an ambitious overhaul of Wisconsin’s corrections system as part of his state budget.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, during a budget briefing at the Capitol on Friday, the Democratic governor said the cornerstone of his approximately $500 million plan is repurposing the Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake youth prison as a medium security adult facility, and building a new youth facility in Dane County.

Evers also wants to remodel the century old Waupun prison into a “vocational village,” with a focus on training, remodel the medium security Stanley prison to maximum security, and expand and remodel the maximum-security prison in Hobart in minimum security.

Evers said the “domino series” of facility changes, improvements and modernization efforts will finally allow for closure of the more than 150-year-old Green Bay Correctional Institution. Evers will also propose policy changes to reduce the state’s corrections population, currently at about 23,000 incarcerated individuals.

Early reaction is mixed, Republican state Senator Van Wanggaard of Racine issued a statement saying he’s willing to have an honest dialogue with the governor, but that the Legislature won’t “let a bunch of felons out of prison.”

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