NOW is the time for Transformation of our Criminal Justice System NOW is the time for 11X15 “The time is always right to do what is right” - MLK

What is 11X15? The “Eleven-by-Fifteen” Campaign is a challenge from the faith community to all the people of the State of Wisconsin: So that we might all have less wasteful, safer, healthier, and more just communities… We must cut our prison population by half - to 11,000 - by the end of 2015

3 Wisconsin Minnesota Imprisonment Rate (2010, per 100,000) State Population 5,686,986 5,303, Prison Population 22,019 9,429

Corrections Budget (2009 millions) $1,265 $521 Per Capita Corrections Spending (2009) $ $98.93 Wisconsin Minnesota

WI Prisoners by Race (2010) Prisoners by County (2007) Over half of our prisoners are African American yet only 6.2% of our population is African American Milwaukee County makes up only 16% of the state’s population

WI has 36 adult correctional facilities Total operating capacity: 17,590 Average daily inmate population: 23,015 Average cost per inmate: Daily - $88; Annual - $32,100 Community Corrections: Probation 47,765; Parole 19,672 (on 1/31/11) Dept. of Corrections Budget: $1.3 billion Corrections in Wisconsin is a growth industry

Wisconsin’s wasteful corrections policies cannot be explained by partisan politics because they represent the choices and priorities of recent Republican and Democratic administrations and associated legislatures. How we got into this situation:

Why should Wisconsin invest in treatment instead of prison?

In Wisconsin, we already have Proven, Effective and Transformative Strategies In 2006, collaboration between Wisconsin Departments of Corrections, Human Services and Office of Justice Assistance, established the Treatment Alternatives and Diversion (TAD) grant program to fund projects that provide alternatives to prosecution and incarceration for criminal offenders who abuse alcohol or other drugs. The results are in…

TAD Works! “TAD projects have positive impacts on individual offenders, communities, and local service systems…” The full report of evaluation findings and recommendations is available at: bout/staff/vanstellek.htm. “TAD effectively diverts non-violent offenders with substance abuse treatment needs from incarceration and reduces criminal justice system costs…”

TAD Effectively Saves Taxpayers Money… “ Every $1.00 invested in TAD yields benefits of $1.93 to the criminal justice system through averted incarceration and reduced crime…” What if… Counties could earn $15,000 from the state for alternative programs every time they send someone to a program that saves the state $30,000 by keeping them out of the state prison system? What if… Counties could tap into a $75 million state pool of money to expand or create alternatives that could ultimately save the state $300 million?

Day Report Centers SSTOP Universal Screening Drug Treatment Courts Mental Health Courts Veterans’ Courts Pre & Post Intervention Job programs Jail Diversion programs Restorative Justice Crisis Intervention And the list goes on… Every single alternative has proven effective but the scale is way too small! Some alternative programs in WI that could be expanded:

How would $75 million for TAD impact Wisconsin?

Capacity: With $75 million in funding we predict… 1)Thousands of new TAD slots would be created. Annually, there would be:  18,000 problem-solving court slots OR  49,000 diversion programs slots OR  Some mix of the two will be necessary 2)More than 3,100 state prisoners per year (out of current average of 8,000 admissions) would be eligible for problem solving court 3)More than 21,000 jail admissions per year would be eligible for problem solving court

Crime & Safety: With $75 million in funding we predict… 1)A 20% reduction in new crimes committed by the those in TAD programs  Recidivism is typically 12% – 16% lower for participants in problem-solving courts nationwide  In TAD programs, recidivism was lower for TAD completers than for those released from Wisconsin prisons 2) Injuries resulting from crime and stress due to crime would decrease in the general population  1 of 5 people who are convicted of a new crime after prison have been charged with committing a violent crime

Recovery: With $75 million in funding we predict… Low-risk offenders can receive substance abuse and mental health treatment that follows national guidelines. Therefore: 1)Rate of substance abuse recovery will increase  The success rate of drug treatment courts in keeping graduates drug free is twice that of other interventions  There will be 8 fewer people who die from drug overdose 2)Fewer people will commit suicide or be injured  Drug and alcohol abusers and those involved in all stages of criminal justice have higher suicide rates.  OWI courts reduce recidivism and therefore decrease motor vehicle fatality and injury

Families: With $75 million in funding we predict … 1)Between 1,150 – 1,619 parents each year will be eligible for TAD programs and able to remain in the community 2)There will be fewer single parent families and less involvement with Child Protective Services.  Children with incarcerated parents are 4-5 times more likely to face foster system contact

Families (2): With $75 million in funding we predict … 3) Youth may be less likely to have problems if their parents are not incarcerated  70% of young children with incarcerated mothers experience emotional or psychological problems  Youth with a parent in prison are 7 times more likely to be convicted of crimes as a young adult  36% drop out of high school (vs. 7% of youth who do not experience parental incarceration)

Communities: With $75 million in funding we predict… 1)13% more non-violent offenders recovering from substance abuse will be employed 2)For those employed, incomes will rise. Serving time:  Reduces hourly wages after prison by 11% and annual earnings by 40%  Depresses wages for black males 4.5 times more than whites 3)Homelessness and need for transitional housing will decrease  23% of those who are homeless or have unstable housing have a history of incarceration

You can be part of the solution Fill out the contact form to get on the WISDOM list for updates Visit our website to learn more Schedule a local leader to offer a presentation to your organization, congregation, group or class Join an 11X15 committee in your community Pray for our leaders, that they might have wisdom and prudence; and pray for the people of Wisconsin that we might have the courage and energy to demand justice Join us for local and state events, actions, and assemblies as we move this critical campaign for prison reform forward Make a charitable donation to the 11X15 campaign

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