Students Meet to Discuss Arrest Rates and Jail Plans

Students Against Mass Incarceration, a newly formed group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, convened a criminal justice panel at Union South on Oct. 7. The meeting examined how homelessness, schooling and race intersect with the justice system, drawing on figures from county officials and criticism of a jail consolidation proposal. Dr. David Pate, a professor of consumer science, human development and family studies at UW-Madison, moderated the discussion.

Shar-ron Buie, data and evaluation coordinator for the Dane County Office of Justice and Reform, told attendees that Black Wisconsinites are 12 times more likely to be arrested than white residents. She said Wisconsin ranks second in the country for the gap between Black and white incarceration rates. UW-Madison law professor Ion Meyn placed the current rate in historical context, comparing it to the 1820s, when he said the rate was 1 in 10 rather than 1 in 12. "It means we are doing worse than Jim Crow," Meyn said of today's figure.

The panel also addressed the Dane County jail consolidation project, which would merge aging downtown facilities into a new tower attached to the Dane County Public Safety building. The plan would lower the bed count from 1,013 to 825 and seeks to end or reduce solitary confinement. James Morgan, a community organizer with Madison Organizing in Strength, Equity and Solidarity for Criminal Legal System Reform, called the proposal "totally inadequate" and said it would worsen outcomes for people struggling with mental health issues and alcoholism. He also pointed to population growth over the next 10 to 20 years and said officials are focused on the wrong priorities. "They're not talking about adequate housing," Morgan said. Morgan also described language as "the currency of power," arguing that institutions use pleasant wording to keep exploitation out of public view.

Wisconsin Public Defender Benjamin Gonring addressed recidivism among young people, noting that the gap in recidivism rates between 20- to 24-year-olds and those over 45 was 24.5% in 2016. "These children need investment," Gonring said, adding that young people need at least one person who tells them what they can become. In response to a question about university rules, Morgan was asked to discuss statutes requiring that a share of university supplies be produced through prison labor via Badger State Industries. He said such places need a living wage, accountability practices and help with reintegration. Meyn closed the session by asking whether publicizing crimes is itself harmful. "It's a question I have for you, the answer I have for it is yes," he said. SAMI has several trips and events planned for the year, including a visit to the Dane County Jail. Vice President Gabriel Meyer-Herron said the group aims to build "comprehensive understanding of the criminal justice system in Madison, and creating an environment for discourse and discussion."