MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has told county sheriffs that Gov. Tony Evers’ administration will resume reimbursing county jails on a temporary basis.
This will be until the DOC is able to reduce their backlog of inmates awaiting transfer.
Local jails have been holding more prison inmates than usual during the coronavirus pandemic. Evers ordered that state prisons accept no new inmates in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.
Earlier this month, the DOC reportedly stopped reimbursing jails for holding prison inmates.
State Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Gibson) released a statement in response to DOC’s letter:
I look forward to seeing the Governor’s administration resuming their reimbursement payments to the county jails for holding the state’s inmates. It would be unjust for this burden to persist for our sheriffs.
It seems the legislation I recently introduced, Assembly Bill 187, has encouraged them to do the right thing. I will still move forward with this bill to ensure this issue is resolved timely and will not occur again in the future.
