Wisconsin’s female prison population is growing, and about four out of 10 inmates will be back and forth between their communities and Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Fond du Lac or in the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center in Milwaukee. If you’re facing serving time in either of these facilities, or in another one, talk to your Milwaukee criminal defense lawyer about what to expect and to get a clear timeline on your entire sentence.
That said, there are a few things you might find eye-opening.
4 Things You Didn’t Know About Women’s Prisons in Wisconsin
If you know what to expect (all prisons are different, and Orange is the New Black isn’t necessarily representative of what you may experience), beginning a sentence in a women’s prison may be easier than you think.
1. Wisconsin’s women’s prisons focus on drug treatment programs and women’s mental health services, which are supposed to be available to all inmates.
2. The average age of women who are incarcerated at Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center is 30, and many are single mothers. More than half of the inmates have not graduated from high school, and the average sentence is between two and six years.
3. Taycheedah Correctional Institution is a medium- and maximum-security facility where work programs and constructive activities are designed to rehabilitate women during their sentences.
4. General women’s prison statistics suggest that as many as seven of every 10 women in correctional facilities have minor children.
5. Visits are encouraged for inmates at both Taycheedah Correctional Institution and at the Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Facility. The process to apply for visitation is fairly simple, and your attorney can point your family members in the right direction.
Naturally, it’s best to avoid a prison sentence when possible; your Milwaukee criminal defense lawyer will tell you that, too. However, that’s not always possible. If you’re facing a sentence in one of Wisconsin’s women’s correctional facilities, it’s best to be as informed as possible before you have to go.
