Senator Taylor Pushes Juvenile Corrections Reform
"I’ve been calling for something to be done about Lincoln Hills for years."
(MADISON) – Today Senator Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) took part in a joint public hearing of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety and the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety. The committee’s single agenda item focused on Assembly Bill 188, a bill that has been offered as a fix to address concerns raised by state agencies and county officials in connection to the closing of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Juvenile Correctional Facilities. After the public Hearing, Senator Taylor released the following statement:
“I’ve been calling for something to be done about Lincoln Hills for years. We are closer than we’ve ever been to changing the way we provide juvenile corrections in this state. I appreciate the need to provide realistic timelines for the transition to a new system and infrastructure. However, while we debate and move deadlines for the completion of this process, we do it from the comfort of our offices and hearing rooms.
We can’t forget how we got here and the urgency that is required to address the long list of problems in our existing juvenile facilities. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that we stay on track and keep members of the community involved in the conversation every step of the way, and I fully intend to do that.
Whether it’s opportunities for public comment, continuing to review facility location recommendations, or ensuring that we are clear about who has the final decision in the process, I want to get this right. That said, we need to move with deliberate speed to remove both staff and detained youth from the troubling situation that we have found ourselves in regarding juvenile corrections.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Facilities
- Evers’ Prison Plan Receives Mixed Reviews - WPR Staff - Feb 21st, 2025
- ‘First of its Kind in Wisconsin’ Collaboration Will Support Disabled Incarcerated Youth - Andrew Kennard - Dec 12th, 2024
- MKE County: Tight Budget Forces Difficult Vote on Housing, Juvenile Justice - Graham Kilmer - Nov 1st, 2024
- Letters from Evers, Republicans Show Clash on Juvenile Corrections - Andrew Kennard - Aug 17th, 2024
- Following Counselor Death, Staff, Family Plead for Help At Lincoln Hills - Andrew Kennard - Aug 16th, 2024
- Lawmakers Grill Wisconsin Prison Officials Over Safety, Employee Death at Youth Facility - Sarah Lehr - Aug 7th, 2024
- Future of Lincoln Hills Remains In Limbo - Isiah Holmes - Apr 12th, 2024
- MKE County: County Youth In State Prisons Declining Again - Graham Kilmer - Jan 15th, 2024
- Legislative Committee Okays $6 Million for 2nd Juvenile Facility - Devin Blake - Oct 1st, 2023
- Some Progress, Still Problems at Lincoln Hills - Isiah Holmes - Jul 9th, 2023
Read more about Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Facilities here
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