MADISON, Wis.. It seems the ongoing Federal investigations and pending lawsuits at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Youth Prisons could see more setbacks as the Assembly Corrections Committee has approved two Republican bills that could send more kids to the troubled youth prisons for longer sentences.
The Committee voted, 6-2, in favor of the “Violence Prevention Package,” on May 30, 2017. State Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Brookfield, and State Rep. Joe Sanfelippo, R-New Berlin introduced the Victim Prevention Package back in late January 2017.Assemby Bill 87 removes the three-year maximum for Serious Juvenile Offender Program. Assembly Bill 90 allows judges more discretion to expand the list of crimes and include all felonies when sentencing juveniles. Though Committee Democrats said that Lincoln Hills was flawed and the bills would place more kids there longer for lesser crimes, Rep. Bob Gannon, R-West Bend, said his sympathy meter was broken. He added the only way to control crime was to get “dirtballs off the street,” according to the Associated Press.