MILWAUKEE — The plan to build a new youth prison facility on Milwaukee's northwest side moves forward.
After years of working to replace the troubled Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, with the stroke of the pen, Wednesday afternoon, it was official.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed off on the rezoning of the new 32-room facility that will be built upon an old emissions testing center on Milwaukee's north side.
The facility near 79th and Clinton Ave. would replace the state's existing youth prison located outside Irma.
The work to shut down Lincoln Hills began when an investigation found three inmates were mistreated by corrections officers, which violated their civil rights.
In 2018, then-Gov. Scott Walker ordered Lincoln Hills be closed and replaced with detention centers closer to inmates' homes.
"This is an opportunity to bring our children closer to home," said Sharlen Moore, executive director for Urban Underground.
Wisconsin Corrections Secretary Kevin Carr said more than 50% of the boys at Lincoln hills come from Milwaukee. That facility is more than three hours away.
City leaders believe the new facility will be crucial not only for the youth but the community.
"The better off they're going to be, better off families are going to be, and the better off the society they re-enter will be," Johnson stated.
This evidence-based treatment facility will be more of a therapeutic environment as opposed to a traditional jail environment.
The new model will provide teens access to services including mental health, opportunities for resources, and family connections.
"This is where they'll have access to more resources that can ultimately reduce kids involved in criminal activity," Carr said.
Carr is hopeful that this model will change things for the youth in Milwaukee and stop them from entering into the adult jail system.
The facility will be in an industrial park and will be surrounded by residential homes. Some residents say they are concerned for their safety.
"If they're going to do it I think there's so many other places," said Bill Bastian.
Bastian's mother lives a few blocks away from the new site, he's concerned the foot traffic in the area will lead to problems.
"She's elderly and there's just too many problems already," Bastian said. "I don't think it's a good idea bringing people here."
During Wednesday's news conference, Johnson acknowledged the feedback from residents in the 9th district and stressed that this youth prison will only add value to neighborhoods by getting kids on the right track.
The new facility is expected to open in a few years.
