The young individual who was charged in the fatal beating at Lincoln Hills was scheduled to be placed in an alternate facility.
Laura Schulte reports that the teenager who was charged in the fatal beating of a guard at Wisconsin’s troubled youth prison was originally scheduled to be relocated to another facility. However, due to the lack of funding from Republican lawmakers, the transfer could not be facilitated, resulting in the tragic incident.
The state Legislature, controlled by Republicans, has been withholding funds to increase the number of beds at a state facility catering to teen offenders with severe mental health issues. Additionally, they have not taken any action to establish regulations for handling teen inmates as mandated by a federal judge.
Republican lawmakers who once supported the plan to close Lincoln Hills School for Boys six years ago are now stalling its execution, leading to a lack of action.
“Our administration has continually faced obstacles and inaction from Republican lawmakers who have been obstructing and delaying the investments, policy changes, and regulations that are crucial for the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake,” expressed Britt Cudaback, the spokesperson for Governor Tony Evers.
Last week, Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, and Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, who co-chair the state legislature’s Joint Finance Committee, stated that the funding was not approved due to the fact that the facility had vacancies for other positions that had not yet been filled.
For years, the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls have been plagued by significant issues that negatively impact the youths in their care, as well as the staff responsible for them.