For Immediate Release: January 18, 2018
Contact: Supervisor Sequanna Taylor
Sequanna.taylor@milwaukeecountywi.gov or 414-731-5052
Supervisor Sequanna Taylor Offers to Help Governor Walker with Plan to Close Lincoln Hill and Copper Lake
MLWAUKEE – County Supervisor Sequanna Taylor recently wrote a letter to Governor Scott Walker offering to help him shape and implement his proposed plan to close the Lincoln Hill School for Boys and the Copper Lake School for Girls. The full text of the letter reads as follows:
“I write to you today to offer my support for your plan to discontinue the use of the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls as youth detention facilities and establish new regional facilities so that incarcerated youth can be closer to their home communities. Additionally, I would like to offer my assistance in the development and implementation of this plan with the hope that I can help ensure its success.
“As Vice Chairwoman of the Health and Human Needs Committee of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, youth justice is a paramount concern of mine. I have closely followed the news of the ongoing challenges at Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, have visited Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake to better understand the challenges of staff and needs of youth at these facilities, and have joined with other Milwaukee area legislators and community leaders in calling for local placement alternatives since the early days of the crisis.
“As you know, most of youth committed to Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake are from Milwaukee County. Therefore, I believe it would be beneficial to include policy makers from the Milwaukee area who are involved in and understand the challenges of youth justice as you identify locations in southeastern Wisconsin for new facilities, and shape your plans for transitioning youth out of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake.
“Your proposal to close Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake and establishing new regional facilities has the potential to ensure that all Wisconsin youth have better access to the education, mental health, and rehabilitation services they need in order to live healthy, productive adult lives. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is any way I can help you to develop and promote, and secure the adoption of your proposal.”
