Governor Scott Walker has signed a bill that will close a troubled northern Wisconsin youth prison. The measure was passed in special sessions of both the state Assembly and Senate, and is part of an $80 million package that would reform youth corrections in Wisconsin.
As part of that program, both Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake would be closed by 2021.
To replace them, a number of smaller, regional youth detention centers would be built across Wisconsin. Youth offenders facing less serious charges would also be housed in county-run facilities.
