By Theresa Clift
Daily Herald Media
MARATHON COUNTY, Wisc. — The Marathon County Jail has for years suffered from a host of deep-rooted problems and needs wholesale changes to its procedures, training and overall culture if it is to function safely, according to a report released Monday.
A five-member citizen review panel tasked with identifying the jail’s failings and recommending solutions found dozens of issues that need to be corrected — some of which already are being addressed — and suggested changes that could lead to the termination of employees who do not rise to meet new performance expectations.
“(The jail) suffers from poor communication, low staff morale, inconsistent training standards, defective or outdated equipment and an ineffective administration,” the panel’s report says. “These issues — combined with outdated or ineffective jail procedures, concerns over staff scheduling and assignments, and flaws in the jail’s physical layout and design — have contributed to an unsafe working and living environment.”
Full story: Report: Jail ‘unsafe’ for inmates, officers (videos)