{"id":1312367,"date":"2025-12-15T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/?p=1312367"},"modified":"2025-12-22T08:33:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T14:33:10","slug":"wisconsin-corrections-prison-work-release-jobs-employers-minimum-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-corrections-prison-work-release-jobs-employers-minimum-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin\u2019s work-release program promises opportunity. Prisoners say jobs are scarce.","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time: <\/b><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 8<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Click here to read highlights from the story<\/summary>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prisoners say there aren\u2019t nearly enough work release jobs to go around, and officials at the Department of Corrections say they\u2019re not keeping count.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Several neighboring states routinely track how many people have work release jobs or are eligible for them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One prisoner told Wisconsin Watch he believes less than a third of those eligible at his facility have work release jobs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Officials at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections say not everyone who is eligible for work release wants to work. Some are in education, therapy or substance use treatment programs that don\u2019t allow them to work full time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the jobs available to Wisconsin prisoners are paid not in dollars, but cents. Minimum wage laws don\u2019t apply behind bars, so some people scrub toilets for less than a quarter an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But one type of job lets people leave prison for the day to earn the same wages as anyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wisconsin was the first state to offer this opportunity, known as work release. The century-old program matches the lowest-risk prisoners with approved employers, who are required by law to pay them as much as any other worker. In some cases, that\u2019s more than $15 an hour.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through those jobs, prisoners boost their resumes, pay court costs and save up for their release. Employers find needed workers. And taxpayers save money, since work release participants must pay room and board.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ten of the state\u2019s 16 minimum-security correctional centers are dedicated to work release. But prisoners at those facilities say there aren\u2019t nearly enough of those jobs to go around, and officials at the Department of Corrections say they\u2019re not keeping count.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=782%2C520&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A concrete sign reading &quot;Sturtevant Transitional Facility&quot; stands beside two flagpoles and a row of trees along a grassy area.\" class=\"wp-image-1312372\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=782%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=336%2C223&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=1024%2C681&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=780%2C519&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=400%2C266&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?resize=706%2C469&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseSturtevant-Transitional-Facility-782x520.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sturtevant Transitional Facility is shown Oct. 2, 2025, in Sturtevant, Wis. It includes a minimum-security unit focused on work\/study release, which includes matching lowest-risk prisoners with approved employers. (Jonathan Aguilar \/ Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service \/ CatchLight Local)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>One prisoner told Wisconsin Watch he believes less than a third of those eligible at his facility have such work release jobs. Prisoners routinely wait many months for the opportunity, he said, and many never get it at all.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHaving that money saved up to, say, get an apartment or get furniture, or even money for transportation?\u201d said Ben Kingsley, 47, who wrote to Wisconsin Watch in August from Winnebago Correctional Center, a work release center in Oshkosh. \u201cThese guys know what\u2019s at stake \u2026 They want to go out to work.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only prison officials can add more positions, and he questions whether they\u2019re trying. This summer, he began lobbying prison officials and lawmakers to expand the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe DOC\/State employees are doing the bare minimum in trying to put more people out to work,\u201d he wrote to legislators in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Work release jobs are scarce, prisoners say<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>To qualify for work release in Wisconsin, a prisoner must be classified in the lowest custody level (\u201ccommunity custody\u201d) and have permission from prison officials. In some states, eligible prisoners search for jobs on their own and can work in any role that meets Department of Corrections standards. In Iowa, for example, work release participants are barred from bartending or working in massage parlors.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Wisconsin, prison officials hold the cards. Here, people approved for work release can work only for one of the Department of Corrections\u2019 partner employers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cPlacements cannot be guaranteed for all eligible inmates,\u201d reads <a href=\"https:\/\/doc.wi.gov\/Pages\/OffenderInformation\/AdultInstitutions\/WinnebagoCorrectionalCenter.aspx\">Winnebago Correctional Center\u2019s official webpage<\/a>. \u201cWork release and offsite opportunities are a privilege, not a right, and are provided at the discretion of the center superintendent and warden.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About 70% of eligible people incarcerated at Winnebago don\u2019t have work release jobs, Kingsley estimates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kingsley, who hopes to qualify for work release after his custody status is reevaluated next year, said he began advocating for more jobs after hearing from eligible prisoners waiting to be \u201cput out to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To find out how many people were working, he asked prisoners who work as drivers, shuttling work release participants to and from their jobs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the 295 people incarcerated at Winnebago at the end of October, 224 had the lowest custody status, which is required for work release, according to the Department of Corrections. By Kingsley\u2019s calculations, just 67 have work release jobs. That\u2019s less than one in three.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOh gosh, it\u2019s a huge concern,\u201d Kingsley said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha is-grid columns-2 colgap-2 show-image image-alignleft ts-2 is-3 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1312367\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>more on wisconsin prisons<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1310042\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-news tag-prison-problems tag-prisons tag-wisconsin-department-of-corrections tag-wisconsin-watch category-justice-public-safety type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/10\/wisconsin-prison-compassionate-release-aging-cost-health-public-safety-sentencing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Wisconsin rarely grants compassionate release as aging, ailing prisoners stress systems\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/asseCompassionate_Release_Illustration_1.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/10\/wisconsin-prison-compassionate-release-aging-cost-health-public-safety-sentencing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Wisconsin rarely grants compassionate release as aging, ailing prisoners stress systems<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1308239\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-camp-reunite tag-incarceration tag-news tag-prisons tag-wisconsin-department-of-corrections tag-wisconsin-watch category-justice-public-safety type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/08\/wisconsin-prison-camp-reunite-parent-children-taycheedah-correctional-institution\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-large size-newspack-article-block-landscape-large wp-post-image\" alt=\"\u2018I did drop a tear\u2019: Camp Reunite helps kids connect with their incarcerated parents\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?zoom=2&amp;resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Camp-Reunite-11-.jpg?resize=1200%2C900&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/08\/wisconsin-prison-camp-reunite-parent-children-taycheedah-correctional-institution\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">\u2018I did drop a tear\u2019: Camp Reunite helps kids connect with their incarcerated parents<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>Officials offer explanations. Not everyone who\u2019s eligible wants a work release job, said Department of Corrections spokesperson Beth Hardtke. Some are in education, therapy or substance use treatment programs that don\u2019t allow them to work full time. And those who seek work release must first work at least 90 days in a prison job, followed by a stint on a \u201cproject crew\u201d supervised by Corrections staff, before getting permission from the warden or superintendent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe capacity of the work release program is not just about the number of jobs available,\u201d Hardtke said when asked whether the department is looking to add more jobs. \u201cThe program must be limited to the number of individuals that DOC staff can safely support and in settings where we can safely support them.\u201d As Wisconsin Watch has previously reported, the Department of Corrections has been <a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/07\/wisconsin-prison-staff-vacancies-corrections-officers-waupun-green-bay-raises\/\">plagued by crippling staff shortages<\/a> in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, Hardtke said, some can\u2019t do manual labor. \u201cSome individuals may not meet the employer requirements or standards, and some individuals may not have the level of training or skills necessary to complete certain tasks or jobs \u2026 As the prison population ages, some individuals may not be able to succeed in those types of work or have an interest in doing work that can have a physical toll.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Officials and prisoners tout benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"1176\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=782%2C1176&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person in a formal jacket is shown in a black-and-white side profile with short swept-back hair against a dark background.\" class=\"wp-image-1312371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=782%2C1176&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=336%2C505&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=93%2C140&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 93w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=768%2C1155&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=681%2C1024&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 681w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=780%2C1173&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=400%2C602&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?resize=706%2C1062&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber.jpg?w=798&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 798w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseHenry_Alan_Huber-782x1176.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Progressive Republican lawmaker Henry Allen Huber as shown in the Wisconsin Blue Book. His  &#8220;Huber Law&#8221; created work release opportunities at county jails. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Work release got its start in 1913 when the Huber Law, named for Progressive Republican lawmaker Henry Allen Huber, created the opportunity at Wisconsin\u2019s county jails. It later spread to state prisons and to nearly every state in the country.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than a century later, Wisconsin prison leaders continue to extol the virtues of letting people leave prison and return at the end of their shifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWork release gives the men and women in our care the opportunity to feel like they belong to something, to feel like they\u2019re part of a positive contribution to the community, to feel like they belong in the workplace,\u201d said Sarah Cooper, then-administrator of the Division of Adult Institutions, at a virtual presentation for prospective employers in 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research suggests people who participate in work release programs are less likely to return to prison. A <a href=\"https:\/\/icjia.illinois.gov\/about\/publications\/recidivism-outcomes-of-illinois-prison-work-release-program-participants\">study of former prisoners<\/a> in Illinois from 2016 to 2021 found those who had held work release jobs were about 15% less likely to be rearrested and 37% less likely to be reincarcerated.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWork release really is a significant part of keeping our community safe,\u201d Cooper said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work release also offsets some of the taxpayer costs of imprisonment. Each participating prisoner must pay $750 a month for room and board, about 20% of the roughly $3,650 a month the state pays to incarcerate each prisoner in the minimum-security system. They must also use their wages to make any legally mandated payments, including child support and victim restitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2010, for example, 1,726 work release prisoners collectively paid more than $2 million in room, board and travel costs; more than $320,000 in child support and more than $350,000 in court-ordered payments, according to a department <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wistatedocuments.org\/digital\/api\/collection\/p267601coll4\/id\/3121\/download\">report<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Work release jobs aren\u2019t without controversy. In Alabama, a <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/prison-to-plate-inmate-labor-investigation-alabama-takeaways-7ec182c7b1b604b1e4cb2ffb6e2a0f0a\">2024 investigation by the Associated Press <\/a>revealed prisoners were being pressured to work and faced retribution if they refused. Some were denied parole, despite working for years in fast-food restaurants and other jobs in the community. Critics argue the program is a modern version of the post-Civil War practice of convict leasing, in which prisons rented incarcerated people out for forced labor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many states, including Wisconsin, work release participants aren\u2019t classified as employees and don\u2019t have all the same workplace rights. But advocates for incarcerated workers told the AP that many people behind bars want to work and that eliminating the program would only hurt them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For men in Wisconsin prisons, work release jobs are usually in manufacturing. For women, there are jobs in food service or cosmetology too. They\u2019re \u201clow-level, intensive labor jobs,\u201d Kingsley said, but people are eager for the chance to start saving, especially since a criminal record and gaps in work history could make it tough to find work when they get out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you get locked up, you lose everything,\u201d Kingsley said. \u201cYou lose all your possessions, your \u2026 credit score goes down, all your bills go unpaid \u2026 The benefit (of working) far outweighs the negatives.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>No statewide data available<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How many prisoners participate in work release statewide? Corrections officials don\u2019t consistently keep track, Hardtke said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69bc498fd2ea5&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69bc498fd2ea5\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"341\" height=\"602\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?resize=341%2C602&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A newspaper clipping shows a headline reading &quot;Let Prisoners Harvest Apples, Door-Co. Plea&quot; with columns of text and a small portrait of a person in the center of the article.\" class=\"wp-image-1312373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?w=341&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 341w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?resize=336%2C593&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?resize=79%2C140&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 79w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asseScreenshot-2025-12-12-at-11.28.48-AM.png?w=400&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 341px) 100vw, 341px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">An Oct. 7, 1965, Green Bay Press-Gazette story, written shortly before the Wisconsin Senate ultimately approved legislation to allow prisoners to work in a delayed apple harvest. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>The department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/doc.wi.gov\/Pages\/DataResearch\/InteractiveDashboards.aspx\">public data dashboards<\/a> show prisoner demographics, recidivism rates and enrollment in educational or treatment programs, among other things. Employment numbers are not included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prison staff record each prisoner\u2019s jobs and privileges in the person\u2019s individual file but don\u2019t routinely gather that data across the system, Hardtke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s important from a correctional standpoint is that you know where everybody is,\u201d Hardtke said, adding that such jobs data \u201cwould need to be compiled from multiple sources.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The latest numbers Wisconsin Watch could find are from 2024. Responding to a Legislative Fiscal Bureau request for a <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/misc\/lfb\/informational_papers\/january_2025\/0060_adult_corrections_program_informational_paper_60.pdf\">report<\/a> on state prisons, the department\u2019s research team manually calculated that 781 people had work release jobs in July 2024, Hardtke said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Asked for a current figure, Hardtke said \u201cthat number is not something we have readily available nor is it something you could accurately pull from a single source or document.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Officials also don\u2019t track how many people are eligible for work release. As of Oct. 31, 2,778 Wisconsin prisoners were at the department\u2019s lowest custody level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Several neighboring states routinely track how many people have work release jobs or are eligible for them. Of the 11 other Midwestern states Wisconsin Watch asked, seven responded.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Four said they track the number of participants but not the number of people eligible: Minnesota (186), Missouri (202), North Dakota (13) and South Dakota (183).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Iowa officials said they track eligibility (418) but don\u2019t track how many people have work release jobs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nebraska officials said they track both: 378 were eligible, and 374 were working.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Officials in Michigan said they don\u2019t offer work release.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Prisoner pushes for more jobs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In July, Kingsley wrote to Warden Clinton Bryant, who oversees the men\u2019s minimum-security centers, asking him to add 100 more work release jobs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy writing you first, I hope that changes can be made. Changes that not only benefit the guys here or at other centers, but also the DOC and the state as a whole,\u201d Kingsley wrote. Adding those jobs would generate $75,000 a month in room and board payments, along with state taxes, he wrote.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bryant responded that Winnebago Correctional Center \u201ccollaborates with community employers on a daily basis\u201d and that prison officials can\u2019t require employers to hire anyone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jobs aren\u2019t particularly hard to find near Winnebago Correctional Center. Like the rest of the state, Winnebago County faces a growing worker shortage as <a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2021\/07\/retiring-baby-boomers-declining-birth-rates-spur-help-wanted-signs-in-wisconsin\/\">baby boomers retire<\/a>. Prisoners aside, the share of the county\u2019s population that\u2019s working or actively looking for work has fallen 7.4% since 2000, according to the Department of Workforce Development.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Winnebago County\u2019s unemployment rate \u2014 which excludes people in prison \u2014 was among the lowest in the state in 2024, according to DWD data.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha show-image image-alignleft ts-3 is-1 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1312367\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Related Story<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1306929\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-criminal-justice tag-incarceration tag-mental-health tag-milwaukee-county tag-milwaukee-neighborhood-news-service tag-news tag-prisons tag-wisconsin-senate category-justice-public-safety type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/06\/wisconsin-incarceration-mental-illness-milwaukee-county-senate-bill-prison-diversion\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Wisconsin lawmakers seek to expand alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/mental_health.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/06\/wisconsin-incarceration-mental-illness-milwaukee-county-senate-bill-prison-diversion\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Wisconsin lawmakers seek to expand alternatives to incarceration for people with mental illness<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A bill would give counties more resources to help people with mental illness who\u2019ve committed certain crimes. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>Wisconsin\u2019s labor market has softened since last year but remains strong, said Dave Shaw, a regional director of the Department of Workforce Development\u2019s Bureau of Job Service, which manages <a href=\"https:\/\/jobcenterofwisconsin.com\/\">the state website<\/a> that matches employers and job seekers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s still fairly easy to find work, and there are a lot of jobs out there,\u201d Shaw said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be harder to find a job with a criminal record, but Shaw said his team works with a variety of companies that are \u201cinterested in giving individuals a second chance\u201d to get back in the workforce.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are employers all around the state who are willing to do that,\u201d Shaw said, noting that the state offers tax credits and free insurance to employers who hire people with criminal records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Kingsley contacted Bryant again, urging the department to establish minimum job placement rates for work release centers, the warden ended the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy office addressed these matters and provided you a response,\u201d Bryant wrote. \u201cNo further correspondence on these matters will be addressed by my office.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So Kingsley took the issue to the State Capitol. In May, Republican lawmakers <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/2025\/proposals\/ab297\">introduced legislation<\/a> that would give bonuses to probation and parole officers who increase the employment rate among the people they supervise. Kingsley asked them to do the same for work release centers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of the bill\u2019s authors and cosponsors either declined Wisconsin Watch\u2019s request for comment or did not respond.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha show-image image-alignleft ts-3 is-1 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1312367\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1308912\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-open-government tag-wisconsin tag-your-right-to-know category-opinion type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/09\/wisconsin-public-officials-open-government-lawmakers-homelessness-your-right-to-know\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"Your Right to Know: \u2018No comment\u2019 is no help to the public\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/asse20250723-Brown-County-PIT-count-Timmerman-005.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/09\/wisconsin-public-officials-open-government-lawmakers-homelessness-your-right-to-know\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">Your Right to Know: \u2018No comment\u2019 is no help to the public<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In a trend spanning multiple levels of government and political parties, public officials are increasingly avoiding answering inconvenient questions about matters of public concern. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>As of publication of this story, Kingsley has yet to receive a reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Help Wisconsin Watch report on work release<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Have you served time and qualified for work release? Or do you know someone who has? We\u2019d like to hear about your time working or waiting for work. We\u2019re also looking for any other story ideas about jobs and education behind bars. And we\u2019d like to hear perspectives from those who have hired people with criminal records. Click <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSdqwU_bE6OtPwd3hcpq8NYUbU6DJ8e4AOB16e3NcUxV9DIEfw\/viewform?usp=send_form\"><em>here<\/em><\/a><em> to fill out a short form. Your answers will not be published without your permission.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Natalie Yahr reports on pathways to success statewide for Wisconsin Watch, working in partnership with <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opencampus.org\/\"><em>Open Campus<\/em><\/a><em>. Email her at <\/em><a href=\"mailto:nyahr@wisconsinwatch.org\"><em>nyahr@wisconsinwatch.org<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1279368 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=336%2C278&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=140%2C116&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=768%2C634&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1536%2C1269&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=2048%2C1692&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1200%2C991&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1568%2C1295&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=400%2C330&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1-782x646.png?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/\">Wisconsin Watch<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/subscribe\">newsletters<\/a>\u00a0for original stories and our Friday news roundup. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wisconsin was the first state to let some incarcerated people work in the community, allowing them to save money and pay for room and board. Today, prisoners say there aren\u2019t nearly enough of these jobs to go around, and prison officials say they don\u2019t keep count.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":531,"featured_media":1312370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single-feature.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"gigafact_has_fact_brief":false,"gigafact_remote_fact_brief_post_id":0,"gigafact_remote_sync_timestamp":"","gigafact_remote_sync_status":"","gigafact_remote_sync_response":"","gigafact_has_been_published":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"2025-12-15T15:12:10Z","apple_news_api_id":"896aa509-8f45-438c-b0f4-a53da7789adc","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2025-12-22T14:33:16Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAw==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/AiWqlCY9FQ4yw9KU9p3ia3A","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"newspack_featured_image_position":"large","newspack_post_subtitle":"Wisconsin was the first state to let some incarcerated people work in the community, allowing them to save money and pay for room and board. 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