Chapter 301

301.12 Annotation Sections 46.03 (18) and 46.10 (3) permit the department to promulgate rules that consider non-liable family members’ incomes in determining a liable family member’s ability to pay. J.G.W. v. Outagamie County Department of Social Services, 153 Wis. 2d 412, 451 N.W.2d 416 (1990).

301.12 Annotation Section 46.03 (18) (b) imposes liability upon minors and parents for the costs of services but does not give counties an automatic right of recovery. Section 46.10 governs enforcement procedure and allows courts to exercise discretion. S.E. v. Waukesha County, 159 Wis. 2d 709, 465 N.W.2d 231 (Ct. App. 1990).

301.12 Annotation The uniform fee system under ss. 46.03 (18) and 46.10 allows imputing income and, consequently, looking beyond tax returns to determine ability to pay. Daniel R.C. v. Waukesha County, 181 Wis. 2d 146, 510 N.W.2d 746 (Ct. App. 1993).

301.12 Annotation A circuit court may order parents to pay toward a child’s support when a CHIPS child is placed in residential treatment, but the court may not assess any of the facility’s education-related costs against the parents. Calumet County Department of Human Services v. Randall H., 2002 WI 126, 257 Wis. 2d 57, 653 N.W.2d 503, 01-1272.

301.12 Note NOTE: The above annotations relate to cost of care and maintenance for a person receiving services provided by predecessor agencies to the Department of Corrections under s. 46.10.

301.13 301.13 Minimum security correctional institutions. The department may establish and operate minimum security correctional institutions. The secretary may allocate and reallocate existing and future facilities as part of these institutions. The institutions are subject to s. 301.02 and are state prisons as defined in s. 302.01. Inmates from Wisconsin state prisons may be transferred to these institutions and they shall be subject to all laws pertaining to inmates of other penal institutions of the state. Officers and employees of the institutions shall be subject to the same laws as pertain to other penal institutions. Inmates shall not be received on direct commitment from the courts. In addition to the exemptions under s. 13.48 (13), construction or establishment of facilities at institutions which are community correctional residential centers initially established prior to July 2, 1983, shall not be subject to the ordinances or regulations relating to zoning, including zoning under ch. 91, of the county and municipality in which the construction or establishment takes place. The department shall establish a procedure for soliciting responses from interested communities and persons regarding potential sites for the institutions under this section, except the procedure does not apply to the 125-bed community correctional center in the city of Waupun. The department shall consider locations proposed under this procedure and may consider any other locations on its own initiative. The department need not promulgate rules regarding the site consideration procedures under this section.

301.13 History History: 1977 c. 418; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 5; 1989 a. 31 s. 961; Stats. 1989 s. 301.13.

301.132 301.132 Honesty testing of sex offenders.

301.132(1) (1) In this section:

301.132(1)(a) (a) “Lie detector” has the meaning given in s. 111.37 (1) (b).

301.132(1)(b) (b) “Polygraph” has the meaning given in s. 111.37 (1) (c).

301.132(1)(c) (c) “Sex offender” means a person in the custody of the department who meets any of the criteria specified in s. 301.45 (1g).

301.132(2) (2) The department may require a sex offender to submit to a lie detector test when directed to do so by the department. The department may require submission to a lie detector test under this subsection as part of a sex offender’s correctional programming or care and treatment, as a condition of a sex offender’s probation, parole or extended supervision, or both as part of a sex offender’s correctional programming or care and treatment and as a condition of the sex offender’s probation, parole or extended supervision.

301.132(3) (3) The department shall promulgate rules establishing a lie detector test program for sex offenders. The rules shall provide for assessment of fees upon sex offenders to partially offset the costs of the program.

301.132 History History: 1995 a. 440; 1997 a. 283; 1999 a. 89.

301.132 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ss. DOC 332.015, 332.15, 332.16, 332.17, and 332.18, Wis. adm. code.

301.135 301.135 Electronic monitoring.

301.135(1) (1) The department may contract with counties to provide electronic monitoring services relating to criminal offenders. The department shall charge a fee to counties for providing these services.

301.135(2) (2) The department may charge a fee to offenders under its supervision to cover the costs associated with electronic monitoring. The department may charge a fee under this subsection or the department or the attorney general may collect under s. 301.325, but the state may not collect for the same expenses twice.

301.135(3) (3) The department may charge a fee to offenders who are confined under s. 301.046 or who are in the intensive sanctions program under s. 301.048.

301.135(4) (4) The department shall set the fees charged to offenders under subs. (2) and (3) by rule.

301.135 History History: 1989 a. 31 ss. 958, 959; Stats. 1989 s. 301.135; 1991 a. 39; 1993 a. 98; 1995 a. 27.

301.14 301.14 State-local shared correctional facilities. In cooperation with any county or group of counties, the department may contract for the establishment and operation of state-local shared correctional facilities under s. 302.45. Except as provided in s. 302.45 (4), the secretary may allocate and reallocate existing and future facilities as state-local shared correctional facilities. The shared facilities shall be institutions under s. 301.02 and shall be prisons under s. 302.01. Inmates from Wisconsin state prisons may be transferred to these facilities and, except as to any separate rules established in the contract governing a shared facility, shall be subject to all laws pertaining to inmates of other penal institutions of this state. Officers and employees of the facilities shall be subject to the same laws as pertain to other penal institutions. Inmates may not be received on direct commitment from the courts.

301.14 History History: 1983 a. 332; 1989 a. 31 s. 967; Stats. 1989 s. 301.14.

301.14 Note NOTE: 1983 Wis. Act 332, which created s. 46.053, the predecessor statute to this section, contains a prefatory note explaining the bill. See 1983 Session Laws.

301.15 301.15 Medium security prison. The department may construct a medium security prison to be known as the Fox Lake Correctional Institution on state-owned land known as prison farm 10 in Dodge County. Inmates from the Wisconsin state prisons may be transferred to this institution, and they shall be subject to all laws pertaining to inmates of other penal institutions of this state. Officers and employees of the institutions shall be subject to the same laws as pertain to other penal institutions. Inmates shall not be received on direct commitment from the courts.

301.15 History History: 1977 c. 418 s. 924 (18) (b); 1989 a. 31 s. 962; Stats. 1989 s. 301.15; 2001 a. 103.

301.16 301.16 Construction or establishment of certain institutions.

301.16(1) (1) The department shall construct or establish an adult medium/maximum security institution or an adult medium security institution or both.

301.16(1f) (1f) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department may establish and operate an adult correctional institution in the town of Birch, Lincoln County, at the location that was the Lincoln Hills School and Copper Lake School.

301.16(1m) (1m) The medium security institution under sub. (1) shall be the Oshkosh Correctional Institution and shall be located north of Oshkosh, north of Snell Road and south of Sunnyview Road at the site that, on July 31, 1981, was the site of the Winnebago Correctional Farm.

301.16(1n) (1n) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a maximum security correctional institution that constitutes the prison expansion project enumerated in 1995 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9108 (1) (b), and that is located at a site selected by the building commission.

301.16(1o) (1o) 

301.16(1o)(a) (a) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a correctional institution located at the St. Bonaventure site which is located between CTH “H” on the west and 90th Street on the east in the village of Sturtevant in Racine County.

301.16(1o)(b) (b) In the selection of classified service employees of the institution specified in par. (a), the appointing authority shall, whenever possible, use the expanded certification program under rules of the director of the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration to ensure that employees of the institution reflect the general population of either the county in which the institution is located or the most populous county contiguous to the county in which the institution is located, whichever population is greater. The director of the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration shall provide guidelines for the administration of this selection procedure.

301.16(1q) (1q) The department shall establish probation and parole holding facilities, one of which shall be the probation and parole holding and alcohol and other drug abuse treatment facility in the city of Milwaukee, as enumerated in 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9107 (1) (b) 1.

301.16(1r) (1r) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a medium security correctional institution for persons 15 years of age or over, but not more than 24 years of age, who have been placed in a state prison under s. 302.01. The medium security correctional institution under this subsection shall be known as the Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility and shall be located at the intersection of Albert Street and North Memorial Drive in the city of Racine. The department shall limit the number of prisoners who may be placed at the Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility to no more than 500 at any one time.

301.16(1s) (1s) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a medium security correctional institution that is a part of the correctional facilities enumerated in 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9107 (1) (b), and that is located in Redgranite.

301.16(1t) (1t) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a medium security correctional institution that is a part of the correctional facilities enumerated in 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9107 (1) (b), and that is located in New Lisbon.

301.16(1u) (1u) Notwithstanding 1995 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9126 (23) and (26v), the department shall operate the facility authorized under 1995 Wisconsin Act 27, section 9126 (26v), as a state prison.

301.16(1v) (1v) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a minimum security correctional institution in Chippewa Falls.

301.16(1w) (1w) The department shall establish one or more Type 1 juvenile correctional facilities, as enumerated in 2017 Wisconsin Act 185, section 110 (10) (a).

301.16(1ww) (1ww) In addition to the institutions under sub. (1), the department shall establish a geriatric correctional institution, as enumerated in 2017 Wisconsin Act 59, section 9104 (1) (c) 1. d.

301.16(1x) (1x) Inmates from the Wisconsin state prisons may be transferred to the institutions under this section, except that inmates may not be transferred to a Type 1 juvenile correctional facility established under sub. (1w) unless required under s. 973.013 (3m). Inmates transferred under this subsection shall be subject to all laws pertaining to inmates of other penal institutions of this state. Officers and employees of the institutions shall be subject to the same laws as pertain to other penal institutions. Inmates shall not be received on direct commitment from the courts.

301.16(2) (2) Construction or establishment of the institutions shall be in compliance with all state laws except s. 32.035 and ch. 91.

301.16(3) (3) In addition to the exemptions under s. 13.48 (13), construction or establishment of the institutions shall not be subject to the ordinances or regulations relating to zoning, including zoning under ch. 91, of the county and municipality in which the construction or establishment takes place.

301.16 History History: 1979 c. 221; 1981 c. 20, 317, 387; 1983 a. 16; 1983 a. 27 ss. 953p, 953r, 2200 (15); 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 5; 1989 a. 31 ss. 964, 964m; Stats. 1989 s. 301.16; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 103; 2003 a. 33 ss. 2489 to 2490d, 2807, 9160; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59, 185.

301.17 301.17 Minimum security corrections institutions. The department may, with the approval of the joint committee on finance, increase staffing levels at minimum security institutions sufficiently to allow temporary placement of medium security inmates at existing minimum security institutions as may be necessary to relieve medium security overcrowding. The temporary placement under this section may constitute a partial use of the institution.

301.17 History History: 1981 c. 20; 1989 a. 31 s. 973; Stats. 1989 s. 301.17.

301.18 301.18 Correctional and other institutions; expansion and establishment of facilities.

301.18(1) (1) The department of corrections shall:

301.18(1)(a) (a) Provide the facilities necessary for at least 25 additional beds at Camp Flambeau.

301.18(1)(b) (b) Provide the facilities necessary for at least 45 additional beds for a corrections drug abuse treatment program on the grounds of the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

301.18(1)(bp) (bp) Provide the facilities necessary for not more than 400 beds at the correctional institution under s. 301.16 (1m).

301.18(1)(bw) (bw) Provide the facilities necessary for the correctional institution under s. 301.16 (1n).

301.18(1)(bx) (bx) Provide the facilities necessary for the Racine Correctional Institution.

301.18(1)(by) (by) Provide the facilities necessary for the Racine Youthful Offender Correctional Facility under s. 301.16 (1r).

301.18(1)(bz) (bz) Provide the facilities necessary for not more than 170 additional beds at the Kettle Moraine Correctional Institution for use associated with alcohol and other drug abuse treatment.

301.18(1)(c) (c) Provide the facilities necessary for the correctional institution under s. 301.16 (1v) using the Highview building located at the Northern Wisconsin Center for the Developmentally Disabled and converted to a correctional facility under 1999 Wisconsin Act 9, section 9107 (1) (b) 1.

301.18(1)(d) (d) Provide the facilities necessary for at least 40 additional beds at the Green Bay work release center.

301.18(1)(e) (e) Provide the facilities necessary for at least 20 additional beds at Black River camp.

301.18(1)(f) (f) Provide the facilities necessary for at least 20 additional beds at the Oregon camp.

301.18(1)(fm) (fm) Provide the facilities necessary for each Type 1 juvenile correctional facility established under s. 301.16 (1w).

301.18(1)(g) (g) Provide the facilities necessary for housing to alleviate overcrowding.

301.18(1)(h) (h) Provide the facilities necessary for the geriatric correctional institution established under s. 301.16 (1ww).

301.18(1m) (1m) The department of health services shall provide the facilities necessary to operate the Wisconsin resource center with 460 beds. The facilities may be used for persons transferred under ch. 302.

301.18(2) (2) In addition to the exemptions under s. 13.48 (13), construction or establishment of facilities necessary to comply with sub. (1) or (1m) shall not be subject to the ordinances or regulations relating to zoning, including zoning under ch. 91, of the county and municipality in which the construction or establishment takes place.

301.18(3) (3) For compliance with this section, the department of corrections may expend moneys authorized under chapter 29, laws of 1977, section 1606c (1) (b) relating to the correctional system which have not been expended or encumbered or moneys available under residual existing general fund supported borrowing, not to exceed $1,500,000.

301.18(4) (4) Any purchase, lease or construction of additional correctional facilities is subject to prior approval by the building commission and the joint committee on finance.

301.18(5) (5) This section constitutes enumeration in the authorized state building program for purposes of s. 20.924.

301.18(6) (6) The building commission is encouraged and authorized to utilize the most economical and expeditious construction alternatives available to effectuate completion of the construction projects.

301.18 History History: 1989 a. 31, 122; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27 ss. 6363h, 9126 (19); 1995 a. 416; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 103; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a); 2017 a. 59, 185.

301.18 Annotation A private company may build a private incarceration facility without enabling legislation, but it cannot be operated by a private company. A state purchase or lease must be within the state’s long range building program and approved by the joint finance committee. Out-of-state prisoners may be housed by the state, a county, or a municipality only as authorized per statute, which is currently limited to the Interstate Corrections Compact, s. 302.25. OAG 2-99.

301.19 301.19 Restrictions on construction or modifications of correctional facilities.

301.19(1) (1) In this section:

301.19(1)(a) (a) “Authorized jurisdiction” means a county, 2 counties acting jointly under s. 302.44, the United States, or a federally recognized American Indian tribe or band in this state.

301.19(1)(b) (b) “Correctional facility” means an institution or facility, or a portion of an institution or facility, that is used to confine juveniles alleged or found to be delinquent or a prison, jail, house of correction, or lockup facility.

301.19(2) (2) No person may commence construction of a correctional facility or commence conversion of an existing building, structure, or facility into a correctional facility unless the building, structure, or facility is enumerated in the authorized state building program.

301.19(3) (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to any of the following:

301.19(3)(a) (a) A building, structure, or facility that is constructed or converted under a contract with and for use by an authorized jurisdiction.

301.19(3)(b) (b) A building, structure, or facility the construction of which was completed before January 1, 2001, if the building, structure, or facility was designed to confine persons convicted of a criminal offense.

301.19(4) (4) Unless the governor has declared a state of emergency under s. 323.10, the department may not expand the capacity of, or substantially modify the structure or physical security of, a juvenile correctional facility established under s. 301.16 (1w) without prior approval by the governing body of the city, village, or town in which the juvenile correctional facility is located.

301.19 History History: 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 344; 2019 a. 8; 2021 a. 239.

301.205 301.205 Reimbursement to visiting families. The department may reimburse families visiting girls at a juvenile correctional facility. If the department decides to provide the reimbursement, the department shall establish criteria for the level of reimbursement, which shall include family income and size and other relevant factors.

301.205 History History: 1995 a. 27, 77; 1999 a. 9; 2005 a. 344.

301.21 301.21 Contracts for the transfer and confinement of Wisconsin prisoners in other states.

301.21(1m) (1m) 

301.21(1m)(a) (a) The department may enter into one or more contracts with another state or a political subdivision of another state for the transfer and confinement in that state of prisoners who have been committed to the custody of the department. Any such contract shall provide for all of the following:

301.21(1m)(a)1. 1. A termination date.