This is the response to an open records request we made of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. We obtained notes from the 12/6/16 meeting of the DOC’s Security Threat Groups Coordinator’s Meeting, with heavy redaction. This group gathers in prison and police officials across the state to describe perceived security threats. These are often incredibly exaggerated and unrealistic to justify the brutal repression of prisoners. This is open records request #5 made by Milwaukee IWOC as part of our work to fight Wisconsin prison slavery.
5.stg.10.pages.12-2-16 Minutes REDACTED 112717Some significant areas in these notes:
*Page 2, the prison’s monitoring of Black Lives Matter as a possible security risk
*Page 2, description of planned hunger strike by Green Bay prisoner treated as a security risk
*Page 3, interception of letter to prisoner at Jackson Correctional of “Call for a new strategy in the national movement against mass incarceration and prison slavery” as a security risk
*Page 9, DOC continues to get updates on formerly incarcerated people as possible security risks to the institution.
A prisoner inside Waupun Correctional has written us of the destructive impact of anti-gang co-ordination and security threat group justification. Excerpt from 7/31/18 letter:
“There is specific targeting of inmates by the gang task force in this prison. They will target mainly Hispanic inmates. Especially if they think that guy has a position of authority/influence–no matter if nothing is even going on. They’ll force blame & fabricate so as to create a write up most of the time. There’s so many inmates trying to curry favor with the G.T.F. that they make up things sometimes now. There’s a constant fear of guilt by association.
I’ve been targeted the entire time I’ve been here–14 years. Because I’m intelligent & will protest against unfair treatment. They put me in A.C [Administrative Confinement, solitary isolation] for almost 4 years just on an allegation that I had a position of authority in the Latin Kings gang–after 4 years in general population with no proof of such.”
Conditions in the Wisconsin prison system need to change.