Inside a ‘Nightmare’ Lockdown at a Wisconsin Prison
The New York Times, August 19, 2023: Inside a ‘Nightmare’ Lockdown at a Wisconsin Prison
“Prisoners locked in their cells for days on end report walls speckled with feces and blood. Birds have moved in, leaving droppings on the food trays and ice bags handed out to keep inmates cool. Blocked from visiting the law library, prisoners say they have missed court deadlines and jeopardized appeals. Unable to access toilet paper, one prisoner tore his clothing into patches to use for tissue.
“One thousand inmates incarcerated at Waupun Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in southeast Wisconsin, have been confined mostly to their cells for more than four months, ever since prison officials locked down the facility and halted many programs and services.
“More than two dozen inmates at Waupun, the state’s oldest prison, have revealed to The New York Times that since late March they have been forced to eat all meals in their cells, received no visits from friends or family, seen complaints of pain ignored and been allowed limited, if any, fresh air or recreation time.
“The state’s Department of Corrections has offered little explanation about the lockdown or why it has lasted so long.
“‘There were multiple threats of disruption and assaultive behavior toward staff or other persons in our care, but there was not one specific incident that prompted the facility to go into modified movement,’ said Kevin Hoffman, the department’s deputy director of communications. According to state data, nearly 100 assaults have occurred there in the past fiscal year.
“Others familiar with the sprawling penitentiary suggest another reason for the restrictions: dire staffing shortages.”
Additional reading:
Esquire, August 21, 2023: Waupun's Crisis Goes All the Way Down to Our County Jails
The Hill, July 13, 2023: Bipartisan senators introduce bill to increase federal prison oversight
The New York Times, May 21, 2023: Short on Staff, Prisons Enlist Teachers and Case Managers as Guards
