Infamous Wisconsin

Doyle orders new panel on blacks in state prisons
Cap TimesBy David Callender January 15, 2007
Gov. Jim Doyle today announced today that he will create a panel to study the high rates of incarceration among blacks in Wisconsin. "Far too many of our citizens, particularly African-American males, are serving time in our prisons rather than learning in our schools or succeeding in the workplace," Doyle said in a draft of a speech he was set to deliver at today's Capitol celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Doyle aides said he would provide details of the new commission, which had been sought by black lawmakers, when he releases his budget next month. Wisconsin has the highest rate of African-American incarceration in the nation and is also among the highest in the nation for contacts between black youths and the criminal justice system, according to a report released last week. Wisconsin also had the highest rate of Latino youth sent to adult prison at 50.8 per 100,000, far ahead of the national average of 7.4.
The report found that black youths were detained in Wisconsin at a rate 18.4 times that of whites, behind only South Dakota (47 times) and North Dakota (21.2 times). Doyle's announcement came during the annual Capitol celebration of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, which is the oldest such commemoration in the nation. Doyle said the best way to celebrate King's life and legacy "is not just to remember his incredible words, but to emulate his progressive actions. "It is not enough to simply state our support for the values we hold sacred in Wisconsin, we must fight for those values -- hard, honest work; a sense of community, our concern for others, and a commitment to educating future generations," he said. Report: Nonwhite youth have disproportionate criminal justice contacts MADISON, Wis. A new report released today shows that nonwhite youth in Wisconsin are far more likely than whites to have contacts with the criminal justice system. The state data far exceeded national averages revealed in the report by the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. Governor Jim Doyle plans to announce plans on Monday to appoint a commission to reduce incarceration rates for nonwhites. The report says Wisconsin led the nation in the rate of nonwhites under age 18 placed in residential custody and put in adult prisons. Wisconsin was the third highest for the rate of blacks held in detention as compared to whites. ___ On the Net: National Council on Crime and Delinquency: http://www.nccd-crc.org/ Copyright 2007 The Associated Press.


Diparity In Youth Jailings
By Gil Halsted
Monday, January 15, 2007
A new report finds Wisconsin leads the nation in locking up minority youth. The National Council on Crime and Delinquency says in 2004 in Wisconsin, African American and Latino youth were ten times more likely to be jailed than their white counter parts. That's twice the national ratio. The study's author, Barry Krisberg, says although white youth commit more crimes, their parents are much more likely to hire lawyers, and get their kids counseling. U-W Madison sociologist Pamela Oliver says another key driver for the racial disparity is that poor minorities get more attention from police, making them more likely to be arrested for a low level crime. Monday), Governor Jim Doyle announced the appointment of state commission charged with reducing the incarceration rates for minorities both adults and juveniles