MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s oldest prison saw yet another inmate death this week. It was the seventh since 2023 at the Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI).

The facility has been at the center of talks in Madison where lawmakers have debated a nearly half-billion-dollar plan to overhaul correctional facilities across the state.

What You Need To Know

  • Last month, Gov. Evers unveiled a comprehensive $535.5 million plan to reform the state’s corrections system, which was contingent upon a “domino series” of projects

  • Among the priorities was a conversion of Waupun's prison into a state-of-the-art, medium-security facility

  • Closing the Green Bay Correctional Institution in 2029 for $6.3 million was also included

  • The plan did not call for building a brand-new prison for an estimated $1.2 billion

“There’s a lot of issues with this plan the way it’s rolled out there, and it’s the all-or-not approach, probably going to be a none,” State Sen. Dan Feyen, R-Fond du Lac, said of the comprehensive plan introduced by Gov. Tony Evers last month.

Wisconsin’s prison system has always been a focus for Feyen, who has toured numerous facilities during his time in the legislature.

“Waupun is still very close to home, a lot of correctional officers live in the Fond du Lac area or my district over in Washington County, whatever it may be now, but my old district had seven correctional institutions in it,” Feyen explained. “My current one has one in it yet.”

The latest $535 million plan from Gov. Evers calls for big changes at WCI specifically, including building brand-new cell blocks and creating a vocational training facility.

“When you convert Waupun from a maximum security to a medium security, that takes that maximum security pay bump, just takes that away,” Feyen added.

Jobs are one of the biggest hang-ups for Feyen who is also concerned about the possibility of closing the Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI) by 2029.

The Evers administration, however, insists there will be plenty of positions throughout the system.

“It’s a dance, you’ve got to do one thing at a time, and we can get this done,” Gov. Evers told the crowd at a WisPolitics event earlier this week.

During his remarks, the governor seemed confident about compromise.

“The goal is to make sure that we are taking care of the people in our care in the best way possible,” Gov. Evers stated.

Safety is the one area lawmakers from both sides already agree on, acknowledging the responsibility falls squarely on the state.

“We’re responsible for them, as well as the inmates that are residents there. We are responsible for them,” Feyen said.

Feyen told Spectrum News one other part of the governor’s plan that drew skepticism from him was the early release program, which is meant to help deal with overcrowding. He said there needs to be better tracking to make sure those who are released are doing what they are supposed to be.

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