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| Wisc. to move inmates out of jail |
| By Journal Sentinel |
| Published: 03/15/2004 |
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In a deal that could avert a legal battle, Wisconsin officials have agreed to move prisoners out of the crowded Waukesha County Jail, partly by diverting some to alternative programs. Waukesha County officials had threatened legal action because of concerns that state prisoners were aggravating jail congestion and burdening county taxpayers. But the state has agreed to relocate some prisoners to an expanded state prison in Racine County and to provide further relief through incarceration alternatives. County and state officials both applauded the arrangement, saying they are confident it will resolve the jail issue without putting dangerous offenders on the streets. "Obviously, public safety is our No. 1 priority," said Bill Clausius, spokesman for the state Department of Corrections. "We do a good job of assessing risks and determining who's appropriate to be out in the community." In the past, the state has kept an average of 25 prisoners in the Waukesha County Jail, reimbursing the county $37 a day for each. But county officials have objected that costs are much higher - $65 a day - and that property-tax payers are needlessly subsidizing the state prison system to the tune of $250,000 a year. Also, Waukesha County taxpayers are paying $34 million for a jail expansion to relieve jail overcrowding. At the urging of County Executive Dan Finley, the County Board authorized legal action against the state if negotiations did not resolve the situation, either with fewer state detainees or higher reimbursement rates. The Waukesha County Jail has frequently exceeded its rated capacity of 306 prisoners in recent years. County officials said they are pleased that negotiations with the state have apparently avoided legal action. Typically the situation involves state convicts who are on probation or parole and have been arrested again on suspicion of either violating a condition of their release or committing new crimes. While those individuals await trial, or a decision on whether to revoke their probation or parole, the state often leaves them in a county jail. The Department of Corrections has outlined a plan for relieving congestion in Waukesha by placing more detainees on electronic monitoring and diverting others to alternative programs for outpatient treatment of alcoholism and other drug addictions. Nobody suspected of committing a new violent offense would be considered for any sort of release. The state also has pledged to establish 25 new beds for Waukesha County prisoners at a state prison being expanded in the Racine County community of Sturtevant. The expansion is due for completion later this year. |
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