Monday, October 23, 2017 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUBJECT: LINCOLN HILLS CLOSURE BILL DOES NOT ADDRESS REAL ISSUES 

It has been an alarming few weeks at Lincoln Hills with the headlines to match. Between the assault on Pandora Lobacz, the revelation of an attempted murder of a staff member and an investigatory team being disbanded because they “found too much” – Lincoln Hills has been on the cover of newspapers across the state. 

Today, two Democratic legislators introduced a bill to close both facilities. AFSCME Wisconsin recognizes and supports efforts to fix the problems at Lincoln Hills, but this proposal to close the facilities does not include any plan.

There is no guidance in this legislation for where the juvenile offenders would go and it does not include any funding to make any alternatives possible. 

“We need a real plan to solve this crisis,” said Rick Badger Executive Director of AFSCME Wisconsin. “This bill doesn’t address the root of the problems present at Lincoln Hills and the long-standing dysfunction in the juvenile corrections system. We look forward to working with our legislators to address these issues.”

For more information please contact Michael Horecki ([email protected])

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