Scanned Copy of Governor Tommy Thompson's 1994 memo denying parole

TOMMY G. THOMPSON
Governor
State of Wisconsin
April 28, 1994
' '
Sec. Michael J. Sullivan
Department of Corrections
149 east Wilson Street
Madison, Wi 53707-7925

Dear Secretary Sullivan, '
I write to you today regarding the administration of Wisconsin's mandatory release law.

I recently proposed and subsequently signed into law a bill to end mandatory parole for violent offenders. In enacting this important change, legal council advised that any retroactive change in the law would be unconstitutional.

Therefore, although I have ended mandatory release for violent offenders, there are some inmates in prison who are still governed by the old release law.

I believe that mandatory release of violent criminals is wrong. That is why I called a special legislative session of the legislature in 1987 to pass the "life means life" sentencing bill, and that is why I moved to end the mandatory parole for violent offenders this year.

In order to implement this policy as fully as possible, I hereby direct the Department of Corrections to pursue any and all available legal avenues to block the release of violent offenders who have reached their mandatory release date.

The policy of this Administration is to keep violent offenders in prison as long possible under the law.

Thank you for your immediate attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,



Tommy G Thompson
Governor

What Concerned People Can Do

WHAT CONCERNED PEOPLE CAN DO

After reading the blog materials you should be nearly as disgusted as I am about the system malfunctioning in such horrendous fashion. Taxpayers deserve better for the millions of dollars in tax fisc being increasingly funneled into and wasted in the system. Especially when it could be used for something constructive like education, healthcare and other social programs that are so desperately needed.

The people perpetrating this expanding insanity year after year and decade after decade know they can fold up the gameboard in the evening and go home, only to return the next day to commit the same nonsense all over again. They get paid handsomely with your tax dollar either way and so they care less whether the system functions as it should; as it was originally intended to foster true rehabilitation. In fact, they have discovered it is more lucrative to operate the system sideways, keeping more prisoners incarcerated for longer periods of time, and thus further conditioning them to return to prison. If the system is studied in depth, it becomes apparent it is all by design. It is all designed to obtain the federal tax fix in the form of grant appropriations under the guise of fighting crime when, in fact, it does absolutely nothing positive to thwart crime. It doesn't even deal with the symptoms of crime very well. The system itself screams for reform.

If you are appalled at the virtual wasting of so many millions of your tax dollars there are a number of things you can do to express your displeasure by exposing the nefarious action and attempting to correct the madness. To be sure, it will not correct itself.
Some of the things we are asking people to do is to write letters, make phone calls, send faxes and e-mails, and even schedule face-to-face meetings with State Representatives from your area/ urging them to contact some or all of the following individuals responsible for this situation.

State Representatives
A-K Box 8952
L-Z Box 8953
Madison, WI 53707
Phone: (608)266-1501
Fax: 266-7038
e-mail: rep.lastname@legis.state.wi.us

State Senators
Box 7882
Madison/ WI 53707-7882
Phone: (608)266-2211
Fax: 266-7038
e-mail:
Website: www.legis.state.wi.us

Alfonso Graham/ Chairperson Wisconsin Parole Commission 3099 E. Washington Avenue Box 7960
Madison, WI 53707-7960 Phone: (608)240-7280 Fax: 240-7299 Website: www.wi-doc.com

Gerald Konitzer/ Director
Office of Offender Classification
and Movement Box 7925
Madison/ WI 53707-7925 Phone: Fax: e-mail:

DOC Secretary Matthew J. Frank
3099 E. Washington Avenue
Box 7925
Madison, WI 53707-7925
Phone: (608)240-5000 or 240-5055
Fax: 240-3300 or 240-3305
Website: www.wi-doc.com

Steven B. Casperson/ Administrator Division of Adult Institutions "3099 E. Washington Avenue Box 7925
Madison, WI 53707-7925 Phone: (608)240-5106 Fax: 240-3310