WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ) – A Democratic candidate in Wisconsin’s 14th State Senate district is calling for reform to the state’s correctional system.
Waupaca Mayor Brian Smith recently toured the Redgranite Correctional Institution and heard from officials about the issues facing those behind the walls.
“After Act 10 was passed, many good officers that had experience decided to retire. This left the facility short staffed and forced many staff members to take mandatory overtime,” Smith says. “A correctional officer has to be attentive at all times, and adding undue fatigue from working a double shift make already dangerous working conditions doubly worse.”
Smith believes that conditions like these at prisons all across Wisconsin can lead to uprisings, like those seen at the Green Bay Correctional Institution.
“Recidivism in Wisconsin must be addressed, and reducing the rate that inmates return to correctional facilities should be the goal at every state correctional facility,” says Smith. “Overall, the state must do a better job of keeping correctional officers safe while ensuring inmates are able to function in society when released.”
Smith adds that correctional issues in Wisconsin is one of his top priorities and funding must be increased in order to deal with some of these problems. He’s facing Republican incumbent Luther Olsen in November’s election.
