By C1 Staff
MADISON — Amid growing state and national concern, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections is preparing to alter its use of solitary confinement.
The department has released few details on what in their policies will change, according to the Wisconsin Watch.
However, a memo from the DOC’s administrator of adult institutions, Cathy Jess, states that the changes will “better align with current laws and streamline the disciplinary process, without violating liberty interests, while minimizing potential court actions.”
Other notes from the memor include more clearly describing what inmates may appeal for disciplinary hearings, and another “requires consideration of an inmate’s serious mental illness during due process hearings and disposition stages.”
A rule summary prepared for the Legislature lists more than two dozen changes overall, most dealing with terminology.
However, one inmate advocate group pointed out that the new code still allows inmates to be sentenced to 190 days in segregation for minor offenses like loitering.