Wisconsin Prisons Reach Record Population, Straining Resources Despite Governor Evers' Efforts
Wisconsin's prison population has reached a new record high of 23,854 individuals, exceeding its intended capacity by nearly 6,000. This overcrowding has led to severe strain on staffing and programs within the correctional system. For instance, the Robert E. Ellsworth Correctional Center, designed for 230 people, now houses 495, and the Milwaukee Women's Center, designed for 42, holds 104. This situation persists despite Governor Tony Evers' 2018 pledge to reduce prison crowding and his administration's eight years of budget requests aimed at justice system reform. The Department of Corrections (DOC) states it has limited statutory authority to unilaterally reduce the population. The state's 'truth-in-sentencing' laws, enacted in 1998, require most prisoners to serve full sentences without parole, contributing to the sustained high numbers. Overcrowding has also led to a shortage of approximately 658 full-time correctional officers and sergeants, impacting prison operations and the availability of treatme... 
