Thousands of people in Wisconsin’s prisons are incarcerated, without a trial and without being found guilty of new crimes, as punishment for violating their parole. Infractions that result in jail time include accepting a job or using a cellphone without permission and leaving their home county.
From the story: “Re-incarcerating people for breaking the rules costs Wisconsin taxpayers more than $100 million every year. The process that forces violators back behind bars relies largely on the judgement of individual parole agents, which can vary widely. Once accused of violations, people on parole can be sent back to prison for years without proof beyond a reasonable doubt — and they are left with little chance of a successful appeal.”
Read the full story by the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel.