Union Officials: Management Is To Blame For Violence At School For Young Offenders

DOJ Continues Investigation Into Allegations Of Abuse At Northern Wisconsin Facility

By
Glen Moberg/WPR

Union officials representing staff at the Lincoln Hills School for young offenders in northern Wisconsin say they blame bad management policies by the Department of Corrections for alleged violence at the institution.

Justice Department officials conducted a raid on the facility over the weekend in response to allegations that staff used inappropriate levels of force against inmates. In the past week, two top administrators for the school have left office as the DOJ has continued its investigation.

“Management has directed staff to go hands-on with offenders multiple times a day, resulting in unintentional injuries that were mostly avoidable and predictable,” said Troy Bauch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 32.

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Bauch also said that over the past several years, the administration has failed to report violent incidents to local law enforcement, something that’s required by law to hold offenders and staff accountable.

He added that an incident of staff violence against an offender that took place last week was unintentional.

“That situation is the culmination of five years of staff trying to run a prison with an administration that is unconcerned with staff and youth safety,” said Bauch.

AFSCME Council 32 Director Rick Badger said staff at the facility have repeatedly raised issues about dangerous decisions that have undermined security. Both Badger and Bauch say they’ve been asking for policy changes for several years to address the situation.

In a memo released Monday, DOC secretary Ed Wall say he’s concerned some staff may not be performing to expected standards. Wall is ordering an aggressive training program for staff at Lincoln Hills on use of force and the required documentation of all incidents.