Lipscomb Amendment Addresses Concerns About Electronic Monitoring Proposal
Lipscomb's amendment places $1.5 million in an allocated contingency account to provide funds if the electronic monitoring initiative fails to achieve the desired amount of HOC dorm closures and savings.
MILWAUKEE – The County Board’s Finance Committee unanimously recommended a proposal from Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. today to address concerns about the County Executive’s proposal to expand the use of electronic monitoring as an alternative to housing up to 100 inmates at the House of Correction (HOC). Lipscomb’s amendment to the 2020 budget, co-sponsored by Supervisors Staskunas and Schmitt, also sets aside backup funding to maintain existing facilities and operations if anticipated savings from the transition to electronic monitoring do not materialize.
“Good policy should drive our budget decisions, not the other way around, and major policy changes need to involve all stakeholders and be fully developed before we charge ahead. I expressed concerns about the feasibility of a rapid transition to electronic monitoring when this initiative was first announced, and other parties also share the view that Milwaukee County should proceed cautiously with the transition to electronic monitoring,” said Lipscomb, Sr.
Lipscomb’s amendment places $1.5 million in an allocated contingency account to provide funds if the electronic monitoring initiative fails to achieve the desired amount of HOC dorm closures and savings.
If fully implemented the electronic monitoring proposal included in the County Executive’s proposed 2020 budget could save up to $1.7 million by closing Huber dormitories, reallocating staff resources, and reducing overtime for correctional officers.
Lipscomb’s amendment notes that the Chief Judge for the First Judicial District expressed concerns about moving forward with the proposal “without first assembling and sharing data which follows and supports best practices in the industry and promotes public safety.”
The Board of Supervisors will meet to set and adopt the 2020 Milwaukee County budget on Tuesday, November 12 at 9:30 a.m.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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