Public News Service

The guilty verdict in Donald Trump's hush-money case will likely spur more debate about the former president being a frontrunner in the race for the White House, and how his legal issues may complicate the election. (Adobe Stock)

WI organizer: Trump verdict shows key institutions can still function

On the heels of Donald Trump's felony convictions Thursday, a civic-engagement organizer in Wisconsin says the court process that unfolded provides …

An installation view of the exhibition Art Against the Odds, is shown at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo courtesy of Kate Mothes)

'Art Against the Odds' shines light on artists in WI justice system

By Kate Mothes for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mike Moen for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collab…

Construction unions say contractors who have tax liens against them should draw more scrutiny over concerns they are mistreating workers. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Leaders: WI Tax Fraud Case Warrants More Scrutiny Over Trades

Construction union leaders in the Midwest hope law enforcement and other entities take notice of the outcome of a tax evasion case involving a Wiscons…

Supporters behind Wisconsin's ballot question on bail reform say there are too many people awaiting trial with lengthy criminal records, but opponents say passing the constitutional amendment would exacerbate inequities. (Adobe Stock)

WI Ballot Question Sparks Calls to End Cash Bail

In the coming months, Wisconsin residents will hear plenty of arguments before they vote on a constitutional amendment to change state policy on cash …

Some student loan scammers will use a website that mimics the U.S. Department of Education or the borrower's loan servicer, and their correspondence may even have tidbits of the borrower's real information, such as the current payment amount. (Fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Borrowers Inundated with Student-Loan Scams

Scammers targeting student-loan borrowers in Wisconsin and elsewhere are shifting into high gear - spurred by the uncertainty surrounding President Jo…

In Wisconsin, polling places are open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Adobe Stock)

WI Voters Urged to Know Their Rights for Election Day

Heightened political tensions have hovered over this election season. For Wisconsinites headed to the polls tomorrow, voters' rights groups say …

Gov. Tony Evers was one of 17 governors who last month issued a joint letter to Congress urging it to pass the Women's Health Protection Act. The measure would guarantee abortion access at the federal level. (Adobe Stock)

WI Governor Calls Special Session to Attempt Repeal of 1849 Abortion Ban

Gov. Tony Evers is calling the Legislature back to Madison this month to vote on repealing the state's 1849 abortion ban. The move comes as the U.S…

Sen. Mary Felzkowski, R-Irma, said the hearing falling on

WI GOP, Dem Lawmakers Split on Path to Marijuana Legalization

Yesterday, April 20, was an unofficial holiday for marijuana enthusiasts across the country, and here in Wisconsin, lawmakers marked the day by …

Per Wisconsin Department of Corrections data, as of June 2021, about one-fifth of the people on community supervision in Wisconsin live in and around Milwaukee. (Adobe Stock)

WI Groups Push for Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated

Wisconsin's spring election is next week, but thousands of residents will be barred from casting their ballots. Wisconsin does not allow anyone …

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons, located in Irma, will be repurposed into a new adult facility. (Adobe Stock)

Closure of Controversial WI Youth Prisons on Horizon

Wisconsin legislators passed a bipartisan agreement this month to build a replacement for the controversial Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prison…

Researchers say the links between experiences of racial discrimination and negative health outcomes are more pronounced for Black Americans than for any other group. (Adobe Stock)

UW Expert: Rittenhouse Verdict Could Add to Pain From Bias

MADISON, Wis. - The Kyle Rittenhouse verdict continues to evoke a range of emotions from the public. A University of Wisconsin expert says the …

In addition to George Floyd's murder, the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis., last summer spurred widespread calls for police reforms. (Adobe Stock)

Evers Urged to Create Police Reform Commission

MILWAUKEE -- Community leaders from Milwaukee rally today to try to convince Gov. Tony Evers to hear their concerns about police accountability …

Despite no major elections in the coming months, civil-rights groups are pushing more Wisconsin jail administrators to improve voting access before next year's midterms. (Adobe Stock)

WI Sees Improvement in Access for Jail-Based Voting

MADISON, Wis. - New findings have been issued in the effort to get more Wisconsin counties to improve voting access in their jail systems. Advocates …

The United Nations says COVID-19 created a

A Helping Hand for WI Domestic-Violence Survivors, Post-Pandemic

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- In Wisconsin and across the country, there's been a spike in domestic-violence reports during the pandemic. Since lockdowns have …

WI Lawmakers Take Up Police Reforms

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Senate is expected to consider a handful of police reform measures today. Lawmakers say they're including many …

According to the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, 71% of gun deaths in Wisconsin are suicides. (Adobe Stock)

Gun-Safety Innovation Focus of New Campaign to End Violence

MILWAUKEE - Unsecured guns are among the top contributors to the nation's gun violence, so a coalition of public officials and law enforcement is …

Despite Obstacles, Gun-Control Advocates See Hope

MILWAUKEE - There's a renewed push for gun-control measures in Wisconsin and at the federal level, with President Joe Biden's executive actions this …

Next Tuesday, state and local elections will be held across Wisconsin. A voters' rights group says it should serve as another reminder that many people being held pre-trial in county jails face barriers to voting. (Adobe Stock)

Efforts Continue to Expand Voting Access in WI Jails

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin is one of many states where proposals have surfaced to restrict voting through new election policies. Voters' rights groups …

Fifteen states have endorsed legalization of marijuana, and more than 30 have medical-marijuana programs. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Policymakers Need to Respond to Polls on Marijuana

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' budget proposal includes a plan to legalize recreational marijuana. The idea faces strong resistance …

A report out this year suggests many of the more than 12,000 people in Wisconsin jails are eligible to vote but may be disenfranchised. Some volunteer groups are working to change that. (Adobe Stock)

Helping People in Jail or Homeless Vote in WI

UPDATED: To include The Marshall Project report. 10-26-2020 3:56pm MST. CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. - COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin are spiking again…

Both major parties in Wisconsin have been at odds over how to approach police-accountability policy. Those divisions remain following the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha. (Adobe Stock)

Kenosha Shooting Prompts Calls for Police Accountability Bills

KENOSHA, Wis. -- Protesters continue to demand justice over the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha over the weekend. And Democrats in the …

Wisconsin's stay-at-home order was scheduled to last through late May, until it was ended by a state Supreme Court ruling this week. (Adobe Stock)

Despite Court Ruling, Some WI Cities Enforce Stay-At-Home

MADISON, Wis. - Wisconsin's stay-at-home order for the pandemic was due to run through late May, until the state Supreme Court ended it much sooner…

An estimated 218,000 young people are held in U.S. juvenile detention facilities each year. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic Pushes Juvenile Justice Reform into Spotlight

MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- Juvenile justice reform advocates say a downward trend in detention populations during the pandemic could pave the way for …

Under current Wisconsin law, a person is prohibited from possessing a firearm, and must surrender all firearms, if he or she is subject to a domestic-abuse injunction, a child-abuse injunction or, in certain cases, a harassment or an individuals-at-risk injunction. (Pixabay)

WI Democrats Call on Republicans to Curb Gun Violence

MADISON, Wis. – As Gov. Tony Evers and Democratic lawmakers tout support for a "red flag" bill in Wisconsin, Republicans are taking issue with …

New figures from the state Department of Corrections show Wisconsin's adult prison population will reach a record 25,000 inmates by 2021. (Ichigo121212/Pixabay)

Prison Advocacy Groups Urge Decrease in WI's Rising Prison Population

MILWAUKEE – Although Wisconsin's prison capacity is limited to about 17,000 inmates, the number of incarcerated individuals in the state has …

Simple possession of small amounts of cannabis in Wisconsin can still result in jail time. (rexmedlin/Pixabay)

Marijuana Referendums Hits Wisconsin Local Ballots

MADISON, Wis. – On Election Day, voters in 16 Wisconsin counties will get to weigh-in on a range of questions dealing with marijuana …

Holiday partygoers can avoid a very expensive drive home by availing themselves of a wide array of alternative transportation options offered in Wisconsin. (Gilman Halsted, Wisconsin State Patrol)

Wisconsin State Patrol Offers Help for Holiday Drivers

MADISON, Wis. – From now through New Year's Day, holiday parties can present the temptation to drive after you've done too much celebrating…

Wisconsin's adult prison system is so far over capacity that cells are now being double and triple-filled. A state legislator says this is causing huge problems and is suggesting big changes. (Wikimedia Commons)

Wisconsin Democrat: Time for Prison Reform Is Now

MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin sends more people to prison than any neighboring state and twice as many as Minnesota. The cost of keeping one person …

A new program from AARP Wisconsin aims to change the attitudes of policymakers about the contributions of senior citizens. (JBryson/iStockphoto)

Can AARP's Silver Dividend Change Perceptions of Wisconsin Seniors?

MADISON, Wis. – Spend a little now – save a lot later. That's the essence of AARP Wisconsin’s Silver Dividend campaign, which …

A new study confirms that sending parents to prison can't help but have profound effects on their children. (eskaylim/iStockphoto)

Locking Up Parents Hits African-American Families Hard

MADISON, Wis. -- A report from the Economic Policy Institute says 1 in 4 African American students has a parent who is or has been incarcerated - and …

Wisconsin is one of the few states that allow children to be kept in solitary confinement for long stretches of time. (3dmentat/iStockPhoto.com)

Wisconsin Child Advocate Calls Solitary Confinement Counterproductive

MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin is one of few states that still allows children in state juvenile-corrections facilities to be put into solitary …

Sending young people to prison doesn't work, according to a new report, which says an entirely new system is needed. (ruksil/iStockPhoto.com)

Youth Prison Report: Shut Every One Down

MADISON, Wis. – A new report from The Annie E. Casey Foundation pulls together evidence of the ineffectiveness of youth correctional facilities…

A new law regarding cell-phone use on Wisconsin roads goes into effect October first. (Natalia Belatelova/iStockPhoto.com)

Wisconsin’s New No-Phone Work Zone Law in Effect Oct. 1

MADISON, Wis. - Every day in the United States, eight people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured by crashes involving distracted drivers…

A Wisconsin criminal-defense attorney says the state's approach to juvenile justice needs change. (lilly3/iStockPhoto)

Lessons for WI Juvenile Justice from "Making a Murderer" Case?

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - The Netflix documentary series "Making a Murderer" drew national attention to the 2005 murder of Teresa Halbach. Steven Avery was …

On the state's largest university campus, police have strong feelings about whether students should be allowed to carry guns. (Ahlapot/iStockPhoto.com)

UW Police: Guns on Campus Bad Idea

MADISON, Wis. – Five years ago, Wisconsin passed a law with a provision that colleges and universities must allow concealed carry on campus…

About 88,000 children in Wisconsin have a parent who has served time in prison. A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation points out some of the drastic effects this has on the children and their families. (zudin/iStockPhoto.com)

Helping Children Who Have Parent in Prison

MADISON, Wis. – A report just released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows more than 5 million children in the United States have a parent …

The Wisconsin legislature has granted immunity to too many businesses in the past few years, according to a trial lawyer. (WI Assembly)

Wisconsin Trial Lawyer: Too Much Immunity

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Immunity is a "get out of jail free" card, says Stevens Point trial attorney Russ Golla, who believes the state legislature …

A proposal to substantially change Wisconsin's model workers' compensation system is a solution in search of a problem, says the president of the Wisconsin Association for Justice. (matt_benoit/iStockPhoto.com)

Wisconsin's Workers Compensation Program at Risk

STEVENS POINT, Wis. – In 1911, Wisconsin passed the nation's first worker's compensation program, and it has remained a model for other states …

At this time of year, criminals and con artists often impersonate legitimate charities in an effort to get your cash. Credit: amanalang/iStockphoto

Scammer Season Is Upon Us

MADISON, Wis. – Give, but don't get taken, is the advice from a consumer advocate about holiday charitable giving. Frank Frassetto, …

Wisconsin state Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, says it's time to change the state's culture regarding drinking and driving. Credit: Michael Simms/Wikimedia Commons

Drunken Driving In Wisconsin: "It's About Changing This Culture"

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - State Sen. Chris Larson says Wisconsin's "woefully inadequate" drunken-driving laws are the most lenient in the nation. While …

Prisons, such as the Racine Correctional Institute, have been a growth industry in Wisconsin, which now spends more tax dollars on correction than on education. Credit: Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections

Analyst: Wisconsin Spends More on Corrections Than Education

MADISON, Wis. - A new analysis from the Wisconsin Budget Project suggests the state is spending too much on corrections, which is a drag on the …

There is bipartisan support for legislation in Wisconsin to return to treating 17-year-old non-violent, first-time offenders in Juvenile Court. Credit: Arva Csaba/iStockphoto

Giving 17-Year-Old Wisconsin Kids a Second Chance

MADISON, Wis. - Seventeen-year-olds in Wisconsin may be getting second chances. In early December, there will be another hearing in the state Senate …

UW-Madison police say allowing firearms at Camp Randall Stadium would be a security nightmare. Courtesy: UW-Madison

Guns at Camp Randall Stadium, in Classrooms?

MADISON, Wis. – A bill to allow students to carry firearms at Wisconsin's technical colleges and University of Wisconsin System schools is …

The Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing, to be held Oct. 7 at UW-Platteville, will discuss the rapid evolution of community police departments into paramilitary organizations. Credit: usdoj.gov

Wisconsin to Host Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. - The militarization of local policing will be one of the principal topics at the Midwest Conference on 21st Century Policing…

A Wisconsin criminal defense attorney applauds what he calls a trend in Wisconsin and many other states away from using solitary confinement with inmates. Credit: Paul Fleet/iStockPhoto.com

Wisconsin Moving Away from Using Solitary Confinement

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - Imagine being in a 6-by-10 foot cell with concrete walls, little if any natural light, with minimal human contact for nearly 24 …

Clean-government advocates are protesting a bill circulating at the state Capitol. Credit: Anita Burgemeister, Wikimedia Commons

More Special Treatment for Wisconsin Politicians?

MADISON, Wis. - Late last week, a state Assembly committee advanced a bill that would prevent prosecutors from investigating politicians using a John …

PHOTO: State Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison) will once again introduce legislation to legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana use in Wisconsin, saying the most dangerous thing about marijuana is that it remains illegal in Wisconsin. Photo credit: Dylan Brogan

Wisconsin: Next State To Legalize Marijuana?

MADISON, Wis. – To state Rep. Melissa Sargent, a Madison Democrat, the numbers tell the story when it comes to legalizing marijuana use in …

PHOTO: Democratic State Representative Chris Taylor of Madison, co-author of Wisconsin's unique law that requires outside investigation when a police officer shoots and kills someone, is confident the new law will work in the recent incident in Madison where a police officer shot and killed an unarmed black man. But she says the state Division of Criminal Investigation needs funds to hire more investigators. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Taylor)

Wisconsin's New Police Shootings Law: Is It Working?

MADISON, Wis. - In the wake of the shooting incident in Ferguson, Missouri early this morning, more eyes may turn to Wisconsin and its similar …

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WI: Criminal Justice