In his budget proposal, the Governor accepted the Department of Corrections’ recommendation to close two secure juvenile institutions. Ethan Allen School for boys is going to close, meaning residents will be transferred to Lincoln Hills. The plan also calls for the closing of Southern Oaks Girls School, forcing the transfer of those girls to a newly created institution, Copper Lake School, on the grounds of Lincoln Hills. The closing of the two facilities will save the state over $23 million in fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
The closing of these facilities is in part a result of a positive development: Fewer children are being incarcerated for committing “petty crimes.” Research has shown that locking up children increases recidivism. Since fiscal year 2005, the number of boys and girls at Wisconsin’s three secure juvenile institutions has dropped by 40 to 55 percent. As of March 2011, the institutions were operating at 20 to 30 percent of their capacities. A negative aspect of the closures is the loss of jobs from the counseling, maintenance and security perspective. A March 1 DOC press release stated that 292 employees at Ethan Allen and Southern Oaks Schools would be laid off. The consolidation means 114 jobs are needed to expand operations. That means a net loss of 178 jobs currently held by dedicated youth counselors and other juvenile workers.
The closing of these secure juvenile institutions seems to be a step in the correct direction given trends in confining young offenders. However, the money saved through detaining fewer youth inmates is not being reinvested in communities through job creation, educating youth, and safety precautions that would help children and families. Only when money is reinvested will we have both feet on the path to stronger and safer communities.
Allan Goetsch
Tomorrow—Way #7: Mixed News for Community Health Centers and Dental Health Care
About the series: “31 Ways in 31 Days” is a series of posts to the WCCF blog exploring the recently-passed biennial budget’s impact on children and families in Wisconsin. Each day in July, we are posting a description of one way the budget will affect kids and families, with an eye toward what should be done going forward to help improve outcomes and move us closer to the goal of making Wisconsin a place where every child has the opportunity to grow up, learn, and thrive in a safe, healthy, economically secure home and community.
