In Wisconsin, more than 2,800 men and women remain incarcerated under the “Old Law”, even though they are legally eligible for parole under the terms of their original sentences. Keeping them incarceration costs the State of Wisconsin more than 96 million each year. All of these people were sentenced prior to the enactment of the Truth In Sentencing legislation (T.I.S), the current law.

 

During the Old Law era, Wisconsin judges gave longer sentences with the expectation that inmates would be released after serving 25 percent of their sentence if all of their conditions were met. Currently, many have completed their required programs, have solid release plans, but all have been incarcerated for more than 25 percent of their sentence, most have scored as a low risk to re-offend, maintain good institution behavior and many even work in the community with little to no daily supervision. Still, they are continually told that their release would impose an unreasonable risk to the public and that they have not served enough time, which is not true since they would not be able to go before parole if they had not met the time guidelines of the law (to serve 25% of their sentence). Wisconsin is holding people sentenced under the Old Law to the same laws, standards and guidelines as people sentenced under Truth In Sentence, this is unfair, these people are serving double the time as someone sentenced under TIS.

 

The WI DOC, The WI BOCM (Bureau of Classification & Movement) and The WI Parole Commission has been deviating from Wisconsin's State Legislature 304, the legal process for parole grants. Without accountability, transparency and proper supervision the WI DOC & Parole Commission have been denying parole grants when the incarcerated person has met the legal requirements to receive a parole grant.

 

People sentenced under the WI Old Laws have no appeal rights or grievance procedures when it comes to Parole denials, Program Review Committee (P.R.C) decisions, B.O.C.M decisions (only if a notable error was made), conduct reports, social worker decisions and all other issues related to the Old Law of Parole.

 

By keeping people incarcerated who have met the conditions to receive a parole grant, Wisconsin is contributing to Mass Incarceration and Jail Over Crowding!

 

 

Injustice Anywhere Is A Threat To Justice Everywhere.

-Martin Luther King Jr.