The Integrity Center
How You Can Help!
▪ Write a letter to the Wisconsin Parole Commission to support the release Incarcerated People. (see sample support letters)
• Write a letter to Governor Tony Evers, tell him to appoint an independent investigator to ensure that Old Law Incarcerated People are released in accordance with the parole guidelines, granting paroles when all conditions are met as intended by Old Law Sentencing Judges.
▪ Make a commitment to call, write or email your legislator's, senator's, state representatives and/or governor at least once a week to keep the focus on these real issues. (you can say, "I support the release of parole eligible people.")
• Write a letter to Governor Tony Evers demanding that The Old Laws of Parole are upheld legally and ethically. Incarcerated people should be released in accordance with The State Legislative Codes and The Parole Guidelines without prejudice, discrimination or delay.
• Write a letter to Wisconsin Legislators to tell them that Wisconsin's Old Laws of Parole are not being upheld properly. Incarcerated people are required to meet the conditions of their sentencing judge but the State of Wisconsin is failing to uphold the laws these people were sentenced under, which means that they are serving more time than their sentencing judges ever intended.
• Support T.A.D (treatment and diversion programs), these programs are designed to prevent Mass Incarceration and jail over crowding. T.A.D. provides positive training and treatment alternatives to aid men and women with successful opportunities to prevent crime, it also provides services when inmates are released from prison, in addition to education & information.
• Get involved with a grass roots organization. Sometimes remaining silent is mistaken as agreeing with something. Mass Incarceration is a Human Rights Issue, as a people we should care about each other. I am involved with W.I.S.D.O.M, MICAH, MOSES, JOB,SOPHIA, ESTHER or CUSH.
• Support efforts to end Mass Incarceration & Excessive Sentencing.
▪ Change the way you look at felons, people change! When felons are released from prison their sentence does not stop, they are not allowed to vote, there are restrictions where they can live, who they can rent from, there are insurance restrictions, employment restrictions, and loan restrictions. For the rest of their lives they will have to mark a box to report that they are felons, we the people should uplift the individuals that are being restored to our communities.
Parole & Prison Issues are being discussed at the upcoming Joint Finance Committee Meetings. Go to a meeting in your area to tell this committee to release parole eligible people and compassionate release people who are gravely so they can die in the company of their family and friends.
Contact Governor Tony Ever's Office, tell him that it is his responsibility to make sure that WI D.O.C adheres to WI laws, policies and procedures. It is also within his authority to correct the broken issues within the Wisconsin Parole Commission that prevent the release of parole eligible people.
Governor Tony Evers
115 East State Capitol
Madison WI 53702
608-266-1212
evers.wi.gov
Contact your state legislator, tell them that the Old Laws of Parole are Not being upheld, people who have earned the right to be released are being denied parole grants. They are incarcerated longer than their sentencing judges intended, encourage your legislators to support the release of Parole Eligible People who have met all of their requirements to receive a parole grant. Tax payers should not have to keep funding people incarcerated who qualify to be restored home to their communities.
WI State Legislator Locator
1-800-362-9472 Toll Free
608-266-9960 Madison
https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2017/legislators/assembly
WI State Assembly
http://legis.wisconsin.gov/assembly/
WI House of Representatives
WI Senators
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/WI
"Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?"
-Henry David Thoreau
Know The Facts
Stand Up For What Is Right!
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections and The Wisconsin Parole Commission should be mandated to adhere to the Wisconsin laws, Administrative & Legislative Rules and Codes, just as every person, organization and business is required or they should face penalty, incarceration or fines. The WI Department of Corrections & The Wisconsin Parole Commission should not be allowed to ignore, alter and fail to comply with rules or laws, especially when there is a personal, financial or favorable gain for a business, The Department of Corrections or The State & Federal Governments.
With no transparency, no over sight, no monitoring, and no authority to ensure that the Old Laws of Parole are being upheld fairly, the people who were sentenced under these laws have been forgotten, when The WI Parole Board makes an unfavorable decision, incarcerated people have no recourse, no appeal rights and no where to turn.
We are suggesting that it should be mandatory for the State of Wisconsin to regulate The WI Department of Corrections to ensure that The WI Parole Board & Program Review Committee adheres to the laws that Old Law people were sentenced under. The WI Parole Board should not be allowed to continually delay parole grants when people have met all of the legal and time requirements to receive a parole grant.
We know that there are many issues that you can show your support to, but we are praying that you will support the unification of our family by supporting the release of Baron Walker.
If you find that you are unsure if you should offer your support and need additional information to assist you with making a decision, please feel free to contact us.
We appreciate your support, God Bless You!
Wisconsin's Criteria for a Parole Grant
(Wisconsin State Legislature 304)
Parole consideration is an entitlement, however, parole is not. Each case is measured on an individual basis and parole consideration is based on the following criteria:
⸰ Served 25 percent of the time imposed for the sentence
⸰ Shown positive changes in behavior as well as documented progress in programming, treatment and/or educational achievement.
⸰ A viable parole plan which offers the offender realistic opportunities for a stable residence, employment, and programming, if needed.
⸰ An acceptably reduced level of risk to the public. The criteria for determining risk include past criminal and incarceration record, probation and parole violations, security classification, and any unmet treatment or programs needs.
Information contained in the institution case file, the actual interview and correspondence received for the release on discretionary parole, is also considered.
Please submit letters to Support Parole Eligible People to the WI Parole Commission as soon as possible. These letters are processed and placed in the incarcerated person's file prior to being reviewed by the parole commission.
*People Never Stop being People just because they are Incarcerated. We have taken every possible step to identify people locked up as "people incarcerated/human beings", but "WI Department of Corrections still considers these same people as Inmates."
Writing Letters of Support
What is a Letter of Support?
Letters of support are viewed as evidence that the offender will have a network of friends & family to help when he or she is released. They show:
• Somebody knows the incarcerated person and cares
• That the incarcerated person has outside support while in prison
• That someone will be there to help when he/she gets out
• The good side of the incarcerated person and thus helps balance the bad side, which is the only side that appears in his/her criminal files
Who Writes Support Letters?
You may write them, community leaders, public figures, citizens, members of the inmate’s immediate family, close friends and loved ones. Also, distant relatives, aunts, uncles, grandparents, in-laws, respected members of the community; such as businessmen, past and prospective employers (on company letterhead), ministers, respected churchmen, school teachers, students, counselors, etc.
The incarcerated person's supervisor or people who have known him for a while in prison, such as the Chaplin, counselor, teachers or volunteers from the community. If the incarcerated person cannot find anyone who knows him directly, they will accept letters from people who are close to the incarcerated person's wife, children or family and could vouch that this person has valid support, which could be of value during their re-adjustment to the community.
How Should a Support Letter Look?
(see support letter samples)
A letter of support should have a decent appearance. If possible, it should be typed on company letterhead if applicable. It should preferably be one page, that is if you can cover all you need to say.
How Many Support Letters Should There Be?
Letters should be sent as often or periodic as you like. When you send such letters regularly, not just when there’s an upcoming parole review, this validates your ongoing support for the incarcerated person's release. This shows consistency and “active” support. It is also a strong indication to the parole board that you will stick by the formerly incarcerated person after their release or that you have knowledge that the incarcerated person's family will actively provide ongoing support..
Support Letters Can Aid Parole!
People Incarcerated in the Wisconsin prison system are encouraged by the Parole Commission to provide evidence of support for their release on parole. The best way to do this is by sending letters pledging your support.
Support Letters for the Parole File
The sample letters and this outline is merely a suggestive guideline to aid with writing letters of support to the parole board. Incarcerated People should not be afraid to ask people to write letters of support on their behalf. Many people do care and sincerely want to help.
What Should the Support Letters Say?
There are several general areas of information to be included in these letters:
• Your relationship to the incarcerated person or the someone that you know who knows the incarcerated person.
• How long you’ve known him or her.
• Your belief that, despite his or her mistake, he is a good person and is worth being given another chance and the reason you feel this way!
• Your belief that the incarcerated person will be a useful as an law abiding citizen if given the opportunity. You may describe improvements in the incarcerated person's attitude, behavior or efforts he has made to improve himself. You may also mention the types of assistance you are willing to render, such as consultation, references, or even employment. (Job specifies, pay and position)
• If you are willing to help the incarcerated person or his/her family in some way. (definitely include that information in your letter) Some people are willing to help but do not have money or a job offer, they can help by offering to spend time with the offender after his release doing something positive and worthwhile in the community or they can merely offer him good advice and encouragement. This kind of help is also needed for someone just released from prison.
Where to Send Support Letters:
(See Parole Commission's Contact Information Below)
You should send your support letters directly to the Wisconsin Parole Commission, it will be placed in Baron's file.
Please include The Person's Name and Inmate Number that you are writing about.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions, need assistance with your support letters, if you have any questions about information or content for a support letter.
Wisconsin Parole Commission
3099 Washington Avenue
PO BOX 7960
Madison, WI 53707-7960
Phone: 608-240-7280
Fax: 608-240-7299
Key Terms, Phrases and Interpretations
What Does "Old Law" Mean? refers to people sentenced on a crime committed prior to January 1, 2000.
What Does TIS (Truth in Sentence) Mean? Sentences after the year 2000. It means that a person has been sentenced to serve a certain amount of time in an Institution and a certain amount of time on supervision. So a ten year sentence can look like 6 in, 4 out.
What Does Program Needs Mean? Judges, Dodge Correctional Institution and PRC/Review Committee determine which programs incarcerated people need. Program Needs are adjusted based on health issues, it determines classification, security and educational programs, needs and services for people.
What Does A Defer Mean? A defer in regards to parole is to put off. e.g. An eight month deferent/defer is to put off a return visit for re=evaluation for eight months (for the designated time deferment). If parole is not granted the incarcerated person is given a defer.
What Does A Parole Grant Mean? When the Parole Chairperson approves the recommendation from one of the Parole Commissioners for a conditional release.
What is The Parole Commission? The three remaining staff who review eligible parolees for consideration of a parole grant.
What is PRC(program review committee)/Review Committee? A three, or four person team consisting of the regional lead people, their assistant, someone from the security staff, and a citizen who review the files, program needs and movement of old law and TIS people.
What is Segregation? Slang term is the "Hole", in which a person is removed from the general population, and usually isolated in a confined area for 23 hours a day.
What is an Excessive Sentence? Any time a Judge sentences a day beyond a maximum sentence. Or, when a Judge gives someone a great amount of time out of the time a defendant was facing without a reasonable explaination as to why he/she felt the sentence was necessary.
What Does Mass Incarceration Mean? Incarceration/imprisonment in great numbers on a grand scale. To incarcerate people unnecessarily when a different recourse was possible or could be equally or more effective than incarceration.
What is the difference between prison and jail? Prison is when sentenced to serve time in a Facility/Institution. While a jail is the county/city jail.
What is Institutional Adjustment? Compliance with rules and regulations of the DOC/ Department of Corrections.
What does "Insufficient Time Served" Mean? That the Parole Commissioner doesn't believe the individual has served sufficient time for the offense/crime committed. The assessment is whether the public would be shocked when/if released a parole grant occurs at that time.
What does "Still Pose a Threat to Society" Mean? This is supposed to be supported by the crime committed, behavior since Incarceration (violent behavior since the crime that shows a pattern of violent behavior), that shows potential for future violence is likely.
What Does Probation Mean? A certain amount of time under supervision by the City Probation Office which monitors an individual's conduct in society.
What Does is a Ticket/Conduct Report (major or minor) Mean? A write up on any alleged rule violations. The Security Director determines if the conduct report is a major, minor or reprimand (warning).
What Does Good Time Mean? Is three months off a year, as intended by the legislature. For every two days served is an earned day of good time. This applies to Old Law individuals.
What Does Canteen Mean? A monopoly of set ups in which foods items can be purchased in prison and jail.
What is a Maximum Prison Facility? The highest security level in Wisconsin. That prison is subject to many restrictions, and regulations.
What is a Medium Prison Facility? Lessor restricted than a Maximum.
What is a Minimum Prison Facility? Lessor restricted than a Medium, also referred to as a Camp. Except Oakhill Correctional, and all other fenced minimums.
What is a Center/Camp? Non fenced Facility that's referred to as a Camp.
What is a PRI (Pre-Release Investigation)? When someone goes out to investigate the hopeful home the prospected parolee wants to be released to. This home has to meet certain requirements to be approved prior to released.
What is a Pre-Approved Home/Halfway House? See the above concerning a pre-approved house. As for a Half way house. It is a State operated housing in which it is mandatory that everyone works, and pays rent
What is Work Release? Being let out of a Minimum/Halfway house to go to work, and return to the facility/halfway house afterwards.