Gov. Evers Issues Ultimatum, Unveils Sweeping Plan to Shrink Wisconsin’s Prison System

Governor Tony Evers, alongside Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary Jared Hoy, announced a comprehensive corrections reform plan as part of his 2025-27 Executive Budget. The proposal is one of the most significant facility and capital overhauls in DOC history. Evers says it aims to improve public safety, reduce taxpayer costs, lower recidivism rates, and support corrections staff while addressing the state’s growing prison population.

The plan also attempts to fix a department that has seen several scandals during Ever’s term and a half as governor. Evers blames not his personnel or policy, but rather antiquated ideas about incarceration, punishment and crime prevention.

“Wisconsin is decades behind in how we think about corrections. This antiquated system will only continue to cost Wisconsin taxpayers more in the long run. And here’s the truth: we can improve public safety by reducing recidivism, improve our facilities, implement evidence-based practices to expand access to treatment and workforce training, and still save Wisconsinites’ taxpayer dollars,” said Gov. Evers. “Today, I am announcing sweeping reforms to improve community safety, reduce costs to taxpayers, stabilize population rates, support corrections staff, and reduce the likelihood that people will reoffend when they are released. We must reduce the likelihood that people will commit another crime when they are out in our communities, and our work to prevent people from reoffending must start long before they ever leave our correctional institutions.”

The plan builds on Evers’ recent efforts to reduce crime through the newly established Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention. It proposes a series of facility changes, including the closure of Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI) by 2029 and a complete rehabilitation of Waupun Correctional Institution (WCI), both built in the 1800s.

However, Republican State Senator Van Wanggaard, while supportive of some aspects, raised concerns about the plan’s details and the governor’s approach.

Wanggaard welcomed the GBCI closure, stating, “I’m glad that Governor Evers has finally recognized a portion of what Republicans have been saying for seven years – that Green Bay Correctional must be closed. It is unsafe for inmates, staff and the community.” However, he questioned other elements, adding, “The devil is in the details. I’m not sure his numbers add up, both in terms of costs and numbers of inmates.”

Evers described the plan as the “safest, fastest, and cheapest” solution, emphasizing its cost-effectiveness and efficiency in addressing capacity challenges. “My plan is the most cost-effective for taxpayers, it is the most efficient for alleviating the challenges facing our correctional institutions, and it is the safest option. This plan is as good as plans get,” Gov. Evers said. “I am urging Republicans and Democrats to work together to get this plan—all of it—across the finish line in this next biennial budget so that we can finally make real, meaningful progress on reforms, just like what red, blue, and purple states across the nation have already had the good sense to pass. We have to get this done.”

Wanggaard, however, criticized Evers’ approach, saying, “He cannot continue his ‘my way or the highway’ approach to governing, but if he’s willing to have an honest dialogue, I’m willing to work with him.”

Addressing Wisconsin’s Prison Population Crisis

Wisconsin’s prison population has surged, with 23,074 individuals incarcerated as of February 7, 2025, despite a capacity of 17,638. Projections estimate the population will reach 24,000 by the end of the biennium. To address this, Evers’ budget expands access to workforce training and substance use treatment for nonviolent, non-assaultive offenders nearing release. The Earned Release Program (ERP) will see increased capacity, helping over 1,000 eligible individuals complete vocational and treatment programs to reduce recidivism.

The plan also tackles substance misuse, a leading cause of community supervision revocations, by investing in treatment providers and eliminating waitlists. It includes $3.7 million for pay progression for social workers and treatment specialists, potentially saving taxpayers $40,000 per person annually once individuals are released. Additional measures include compliance credits for eligible individuals, expanded job training, and $9.6 million for probation and parole agent compensation.

Community-based initiatives, such as the Alternatives to Revocation Program ($8.9 million), regional recovery coaches ($1 million), and supportive housing services ($3.1 million), aim to support individuals post-release. The budget also funds mobile lab instruction ($2.5 million) and adds 13 full-time positions for institutional job labs ($1.9 million).

Modernizing Aging Infrastructure

Rather than building a new $1.2 billion facility, which would take over a decade to complete, Evers proposes investing $325 million in a “domino” series of projects to rehabilitate existing facilities. This includes closing GBCI in 2029 and transforming WCI into a medium-security “vocational village” by 2031, focusing on workforce readiness to reduce recidivism. Wanggaard, however, expressed frustration with Evers’ refusal to close Lincoln Hills, stating, “At the same time, his stubborn refusal to close Lincoln Hills is mind boggling. In a few short months, there will be enough beds available statewide to close Lincoln Hills. The fact that he keeps trying to keep it open, 7 years after the Legislature unanimously tried to close it makes no sense.”

Key projects include:

Completing a Dane County Type 1 youth facility to close Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake schools ($130.7 million).
Converting Lincoln Hills into a 500-bed medium-custody men’s facility ($9 million).
Converting Stanley Correctional Institution to a maximum-security facility ($8.8 million).
Converting John Burke Correctional Center to a women’s facility with 300 beds (no cost).
Expanding Sanger B. Powers Correctional Center by 200 minimum-security beds and remodeling its kitchen ($56.3 million).

WCI’s $245.3 million renovation will include modern housing for 600 medium-security individuals and vocational training spaces. GBCI’s closure, costing $6.3 million, will be offset by expanding Sanger Powers and ensuring staff can transfer to other facilities.

“It is our hope that many of the talented staff members at Green Bay Correctional Institution would continue to work for DOC as these changes will create new opportunities for staff and those in our care at a number of institutions,” said DOC Secretary Hoy. “The dedicated corrections professionals serving Wisconsin need the support not only of our governor but of our Legislature and our communities. Meaningful corrections reform requires all of us to work together with partners in law enforcement, courts, and social services, among others. As with everything DOC does, safety is at the heart of these proposals. The upgrades to the facilities, reduced populations, and expanded programming will make our facilities safer not only for those we care for but for our staff working in these institutions.”

Evers is demanding all of his reforms pass as written, that each component of the plan is connected to the rest.

It is highly unlikely the Republican-controlled legislature will do that.

“If he thinks the Legislature will rubber stamp his ideas and let a bunch of felons out of prison, he hasn’t learned anything,” Wanngaard said.

Republicans have long called for the closure of the Green Bay Prison, but their plan included the construction of a new, modern and more safe facility. They have not pushed to have inmates releases or moved to lower security facilities.

The conditions at many facilities are unsafe, for prisoners and employees. In fact, they have proven to be deadly.

Staff turnover and vacancies have increased the danger.

Prior to this upcoming budget, Evers has refused to fund construction of new, more modern, safer facilities and he vetoed a pay increase for prison guards.

When he vetoed the 2022 bill to increase the pay for correctional officers, Evers said he didn’t want to use one-time COVID relief funds to address a long-term budget item. (Yet, in August of 2024, Evers ordered the state’s Department of Health Services to do just that and use $285 million in leftover COVID-funds to increase pay people who take care of seniors and those with disabilities in the state.

Meanwhile the facilities continued to age and become less safe.

Evers is set to deliver his budget address on Tuesday.