Waupun prison lockdown, inmate describes ongoing ‘nightmare’

Waupun inmate describes ongoing 'nightmare'

A lockdown at Waupun Correctional Institution continues more than a week after Gov. Tony Evers announced efforts to ease it.

WAUPUN, Wis. - A lockdown at Waupun Correctional Institution continues more than a week after Gov. Tony Evers announced changes to ease it.

Amid the ongoing lockdown of nearly 8 months, prisoners told FOX6 News it is a nightmare inside.

Prisoners said they are still locked in their cells for 24 hours a day except a weekly shower and possibly a once-a-week recreation period. They also report eating all of their meals in their cells, not having regular programming, nor being able to have visits from family.

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"It’s been horrible. It's like a nightmare here," said inmate Shawn Rowsey. "Six days of the week, we’re in the room for 24 hours a day."

Rowsey told FOX6 he has not noticed changes in the past week following Evers' announcement.

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections blamed the lockdowns on "repeated threats" and "assaultive behavior."

Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC)

State data shows a spike this year in Waupun prisoners assaulting staff. Another problem? Fifty-five percent of its guard jobs aren't filled, and the prison population of 990 is 108 people over capacity.

"It’s an irredeemable torture chamber where no one should be forced to live again," said Mark Rice, WISDOM's Wisconsin transformational justice campaign coordinator.

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Evers said the state will use every option to boost staffing, including pay raises for guards. The state also plans to move roughly 220 inmates out, to take pressure off the existing staffing shortage.

"It’s disturbing that it took that long for Gov. Evers and the Department of Corrections to make an announcement. It’s really not acceptable," said Rice. "What’s happening right now in the prison system is a human rights crisis that should have been addressed many months ago, that should never have happened in the first place."

"I believe they need to close this institution down because they have nothing positive here for any inmate to do. We are criminals, OK, we broke rules or whatever may happen. But, we are supposed to be here for rehabilitation. They don’t have anything to rehabilitate us."

Rowsey, who was convicted of killing his brother, told FOX6 about life inside the locked-down prison.

"It messes with you mentally," he said. "That’s like putting us in a cage, not teaching us anything, to be rehabilitated, as in going to school, doing programs, so we can learn from our mistakes and know how to work with situations when they do come, or get a job.

"If we don’t have those things, we’re going to come back into the community, and it’s going to be worse."

FOX6 asked the Wisconsin Department of Corrections when it would end the Waupun lockdown and when normal recreation – as well as regular showers and in-person classes – would return. A spokesperson said they don't have an exact timeline on any of those, but they are assessing it every day. Waupun Correctional Institution earlier this month did restart religious services.

"I want all of y’all to pray for us," Rowsey requested.