Lincoln Hills/Copper Lake youth prison. MWC file photo.
IRMA, WI (WSAU) — A new report shows that conditions in the state’s youth prison system have not gotten better through the COVID-19 pandemic.
A report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says exhausted guards have been more likely to restrain inmates. Additionally, staffers say the inmates aren’t getting enough programming.
Staff members are also fearing for their safety within the facilities.
This comes as the future of the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake facilities remains up in the air. A plan under the Scott Walker administration called for the buildings to be re-purposed within the next few years as a facility for adults. Youth inmates would be held at smaller, regional facilities throughout the state in order to keep them closer to home.
Current Governor Tony Evers had not provided a firm timeline on when the facilities will be closed, and lawmakers have been mum on the topic as well.
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