Wisconsin Facilities Sued for Using Solitary Confinement on Kids
In 2017, the Juvenile Law Center (JLC) and the ACLU of Wisconsin filed a federal class action lawsuit against Wisconsin officials for subjecting kids to solitary confinement, pepper spray, and other abusive practices at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls.
Scroll down to see developments in the case, legal documents, and media coverage.
Initial Lawsuit and Hearing – 2017
J.J. v. Litscher, was filed on behalf of youth confined in the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake facilities, which have been under investigation by federal and state officials since late 2015. Despite changes in leadership, the facilities still reportedly subjects kids to solitary confinement, mechanical restraints, and pepper spray. According to the complaint, 15 to 20% percent the residents are confined in 7×10 foot solitary confinement cells for 22 or 23 hours per day. Youth are handcuffed to a table during the one hour per day they are allowed outside of their cells. The ACLU and JLC argued that the practices at the Wisconsin facilities violate children’s constitutional rights and must be stopped. Links to the complaint and preliminary injunction are included below. According to records filed in June 2017 as part of the lawsuit, “nearly 30 juvenile inmates were placed in solitary confinement on average each day last month” in the Wisconsin facilities. That is more than 16% of the population. During a hearing on June 22, 2017, expert Vincent Schiraldi testified that solitary wasn’t necessary to keep youth facilities safe. Even the superintendent of the facilities agreed during the same hearing that the facilities overuse solitary confinement, pepper spray, and shackles.
Preliminary Injunction Findings – July 2017
On July 10, 2017, the federal judge in Wisconsin issued a preliminary injunction order that banned solitary confinement for minor or non-violent offenses and significantly limited solitary for youth with mental health conditions. The injunction also reduced the maximum allowable period of solitary confinement and required the two facilities to provide youth in solitary with education, rehabilitative programming, health services, and meaningful time out of their cells. The Wisconsin court joined the Northern District of New York as the second recent U.S. District Court to make this finding.
Settlement Agreement – September 2018
On September 13, 2018, the federal judge in the case signed off on a settlement to limit solitary confinement and end the use of pepper spray. Under the settlement, youth cannot be placed in solitary confinement as a form of punishment. They can be confined to their rooms for short periods — generally a maximum of four hours — only if there is a risk of physical harm to others. Pepper spray will be banned and handcuffs will be allowed only in limited circumstances.All staff at the facilities will receive de-escalation training by a nationally recognized provider and the facilities will receive regular independent monitoring.Also under the settlement, the state agreed to:
- Fully eliminating punitive solitary confinement within 10 months
- Fully eliminating the use of pepper spray within 12 months
- Strictly limiting the use of all forms of mechanical restraints
- Prohibiting strip searches without individualized probable cause.
Monitor’s Report Sows Continued Use of Solitary and Pepper Spray – Jan. 2019
Despite the settlement agreement, the first report from the settlement monitor found that both practices are still used.
For more information on the litigation, contact the Juvenile Law Center or the ACLU of Wisconsin.
LEGAL DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE
- Monitor’s Settlement Report (Jan. 2019)
- J.J. v. Litscher complaint (1/23/17)
- Amended complaint (4/17/17)
- Motion for Injunctive Relief (4/19/17)
- Order Granting Injunction (6/23/17)
- Preliminary Injunction Order (7/10/17)
- Joint Motion for Settlement Approval (6/1/18)
- Stipulation for Consent Decree and Permanent Injunction (6/1/18)
- A young person’s account of solitary confinement at the Lincoln Hills facility
- You can also find a complete of all legal filings on JLC’s website
PRESS RELEASES
- Governor Walker’s Press Release Calling for Bipartisan Reform of WI Juvenile Correction System in 2018
- Juvenile Law Center Information on the Wisconsin litigation
- The ACLU of Wisconsin Press Release (original 1/17/17)
- The ACLU of Wisconsin Press Release – Order for Injunctive Relief (6/23/17)
ARTICLES
- “27 teens kept in solitary confinement on average every day at Lincoln Hills” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 2017)
- “Federal judge troubled by serious problem with use of pepper spray on Wisconsin teen inmates” (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, June 2017)
- “Judge says Wisconsin youth prisons overuse pepper spray” (AP News, June 2017)
- “Judge: Unabomber has less restrictive confinement that youth at Lincoln Hills” (Wisconsin State Journal, June 2017)
- “Federal judge orders changes at Wisconsin juvenile prisons” (NBC 26, June 2017)
- “Judge gives state 2 weeks to cut use of solitary confinement, pepper spray for teen inmates ” (Wisconsin State Journal, July 2017)
- “Scott Walker plans to close troubled Lincoln Hills Youth Prison” (Wisconsin State Journal, Jan. 2018)
- “Plan would move juveniles out of troubled Wisconsin prison” (Tuscon.com, Jan. 2018)
- “Plan Would Close Lincoln Hills By 2020, Create Local Juvenile Centers In Its Place” (Wisconsin Public Radio, Feb. 2018)
- “Republicans and Democrats Alike Unveil New Plan For Lincoln Hills” (NPR News in Milwaukee, Feb. 2018)
- “Legislation introduced to close Lincoln Hills, Copper Lake youth correctional facilities” (Wisconsin Gazette, Feb. 2018)
- Report: Pepper Spray, Solitary Confinement Continue At Wisconsin Youth Prisons (NPR Jan. 2019)