Report: Attitudes Of Children At Youth Prison Worsening, Staff Feels ‘Defeated’

A new report finds that children held at Wisconsin’s youth prison are growing more frustrated and staff seem defeated.

The state Department of Corrections released the latest report Monday from a court-appointed monitor assigned to periodically check conditions at the youth prison outside Irma. According to the report, the monitor visited the facility June 24.

Children complained that the staff uses excessive force, confines them to their rooms and makes racial comments. They also complained about too much downtime and not being allowed outside.

The monitor wrote that the staff were less engaged with the children than during past visits and seemed defeated, saying there were no consequences if the children misbehave.