February 22, 2007

Day Report Center for Females
Opens in Milwaukee

New Program Emphasizes Structure to Hold Offenders Accountable
 to Rules of Community Supervision

MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary Matt Frank today formally announced the opening of the agency’s new Day Report Center for Female Offenders in Milwaukee. The Day Report Center (DRC) opened its doors in January 2007 under a contract with the Benedict Center of Milwaukee.

“The new Day Report Center provides enhanced accountability for offenders as well as opportunities for rehabilitation, thus improving the chances that they will succeed as law-abiding citizens who do not commit new crimes,” Secretary Frank said. “If we can prevent new crimes, we not only can make communities safer, but we also can save taxpayers future incarceration costs.”

The DOC is investing more than $110,000 in the new DRC. The Benedict Center will provide programming for 20-30 female offenders at one time, and approximately 125 per year. The center is for female offenders from Milwaukee County who are referred to the DRC in lieu of revocation. It provides additional oversight of offenders beyond the regular, individual supervision they already receive from probation and parole agents.

Programming at the Milwaukee facility is designed to assist participants who want to change the behaviors that led them to criminal activity in the past, thus promoting rehabilitation. In addition to gender-responsive AODA and domestic violence programming, the Milwaukee DRC will provide services that emphasize employment preparation and placement, family issues, parenting and personal relationships.

“We will focus on female offenders who have violated conditions of their probation, parole or extended supervision, giving additional options to agents to effectively deal with these violations without necessarily revoking them and sending them back to prison,” Secretary Frank said.

The Milwaukee DRC is one of three new Day Report Centers that the DOC has opened with funds provided in the 2005-07 budget signed by Governor Jim Doyle. New DRCs have opened in Kenosha and Beloit, joining DRCs that have been operating in Madison and Racine. The Milwaukee DRC is located at the Benedict Center, 135 W. Wells St., Milwaukee.

The Benedict Center is an interfaith nonprofit agency working with victims, offenders and the community to achieve a system of criminal justice that is fair and treats every person involved with dignity and respect.

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02/22/2007