By Jason Stein
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
MADISON, Wis. — Breaking two days of silence, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Friday laid out added steps — from more security supervisors to body cameras — that it is taking to ensure the safety of youth offenders at a troubled juvenile prison under scrutiny from state and federal law enforcement.
The agency released the internal memo on actions being taken at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys north of Wausau and across the corrections department in the wake of revelations that prison staff are being investigating for allegedly assaulting youth and a broad range of other potential crimes, including tampering with records and other misconduct.
“All persons identified as harming youth or placing youth at risk of harm have been put on administrative leave pending investigation and are not allowed on institution grounds. If any additional people are identified, they will be immediately removed from the institution and placed on leave pending investigation,” the memo reads. “The DOC will not tolerate any employee found to have engaged in behavior that has placed youth at risk.”
Numerous interviews by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel with employees at the prison this week revealed that some Lincoln Hills workers have been put on paid leave following their involvement in incidents in which youth inmates suffered broken arms or wrists. But at least one staff member who was with an inmate when his wrist was recently broken remains on the job, other workers said.
At least two top Corrections officials have left their jobs and at least 10 workers have been put on paid leave — some going back to early 2015 — as part of the state Department of Justice investigation into Lincoln Hills that was launched at the request of corrections officials. Joy Staab, a Corrections Department spokeswoman, said that she is still working to compile the names, titles, and salaries of those who are on leave in response to requests from the Journal Sentinel.
Corrections officials have also provided few details so far on what they are doing to ensure the safety of prison staff, who have publicly raised numerous concerns, including at least one going back the summer of 2013.
But Staab released more details Friday about what is being done to protect youth residents at Lincoln Hills and its sister institution, Copper Lake School for Girls:
- Expediting all investigations against any staff member accused of abuse, neglect, or any other misconduct toward youth. Allegations of abuses or harm to youth are now going to Corrections Secretary Ed Wall and all use of force incidents and injuries involving youth are being reviewing by a panel of top department officials.
- Providing more psychological staff to work with youth at the prison and providing victim services to youth at the prison in cooperation with the Departments of Justice.
¦ Transferring security supervisors from other state prisons to facilities on every shift to address problems, including one supervisor to monitor the safety of an individual youth who was injured.
- Training all security staff at Lincoln Hills to top standards on de-escalating conflicts, using force, responding to incidents and then documenting them.
- Overhauling the way complaints from youths are handled so that they are examined promptly and are not tampered with.
- Installing more videos cameras in the prison as well as purchasing more body cameras to be worn by security staff in certain units, with mandatory use in recording interactions with youth who are in crisis or are being aggressive. Interviews with Lincoln Hills staff have made clear that juveniles and staff are often aware of the “dead zones” where currently no camera is in place to record what they do.
Speaking to reporters in Waukesha Friday, Gov. Scott Walker didn’t comment on whether he believed statements by Wall that a “small group” of Lincoln Hills employees was at fault. The Republican governor said his administration is now acting aggressively to address concerns.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which first reported on a weekend raid at Lincoln Hills by the state Department of Justice, reported Thursday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Milwaukee is now also assisting in the probe.
In interviews, those who have walked the halls of Lincoln Hills say staff and students who followed the rules couldn’t count on safety or fair treatment. Some youth have attacked other youth and staff; some workers have assaulted youth; superiors have been unwilling or unable to take the actions and provide the resources needed for a safe prison; and a racial disconnect has complicated the interactions between rural Wisconsin workers and urban youth offenders.
Copyright 2015 the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel