Corrections Secretary Rick Raemisch Column: Wisconsin Implements Smart,
Efficient Criminal Justice Reforms
At the
Wisconsin Department of Corrections, we work to keep Wisconsin safe. We
carry this mission out through the safe and effective management of
inmates in our prison system, of offenders under community supervision,
and of youths who are in our juvenile correctional system.
On October
1, a number of criminal justice and sentencing reforms took effect in
Wisconsin. You won’t see a dramatic shift overnight at Corrections, but
you will see changes in the coming months. And at the DOC, we’ve been
working very hard to make sure these changes happen in a smart, safe and
gradual way.
I am
confident these reforms will make us a national leader of what works in
corrections, of how systems can hold offenders accountable, refocus
resources, lower recidivism, and make communities safer at the same
time. In recent months, several national studies have been published,
demonstrating that strong community corrections, evidence-based
treatment and other carrot-over-stick approaches can enhance community
safety in states that move in this direction.
In
Wisconsin, some of the new strategies include Positive Adjustment Time,
in which eligible inmates have the opportunity to “earn” through good
behavior the possibility – not the guarantee – of an early release into
extended supervision, as subject to several layers of review, including
the sentencing court. Another strategy is the expansion of the Earned
Release and Challenge Incarceration Programs, which will help the DOC
meet judicial demand for these effective treatment programs beyond just
alcohol and drug programming. Another example is the Risk Reduction
Sentence, which gives judges a new tool at the time of sentencing to
ensure offenders are held accountable and provided incentive for making
positive changes.
While
realizing cost savings is certainly an important end goal, especially
during these tough economic times, the reforms are reflective of a major
shift in corrections and criminal justice policy that is sweeping the
country. In fact, Wisconsin is one of more than 40 states that are
making reforms to address sentencing disparities, to find safe
alternatives to prison as a sanction, to advance evidence-based
practices, and to deal with other challenges.
As a former
Detective, Sheriff and Prosecutor, I will not support a policy that
would make Wisconsin less safe, nor would Governor Doyle, who as a
former Attorney General and District Attorney has dedicated much of his
career to making Wisconsin safer for families and communities.
These
policies continue to bring Wisconsin along the path of smart, effective
corrections and criminal justice reforms that will increase public
safety and result in stronger communities in the long run.
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October 14, 2009