State Juvenile Prisons Finally Complete Court-Ordered Reforms
Nine years after a class-action lawsuit was filed, the state of Wisconsin’s juvenile prisons have been found in compliance with a federal court order.
The ACLU of Wisconsin, Juvenile Law Center and Quarles & Brady LLP sued the state of Wisconsin in 2017 over allegations of abuse and excessive force at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls. To settle the suit the state agreed to a court-ordered consent decree and monitoring in 2018. Two consecutive monitor reports have now shown “substantial compliance” with the terms of the decree.
Gov. Tony Evers‘ administration is asking the court to lift the consent decree, an important step for the state’s plan to eventually close the two juvenile prisons.
“This has been a goal a decade in the making, and it’s tremendous to be able to celebrate the completion of reforms at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools today,” Evers said in a statement Wednesday. “This is a win for our state, a win for youth in our care, and a win for those who dedicate their time and energy to supporting the needed advancement of our justice system.”
