Glossary

A

AC: Administrative confinement: Least debilitating form of solitary confinement, typically involving locking individuals in their cells for hours or days, often following a fight, while investigating whether a disciplinary infraction has occurred.

AODA: alcohol and other drug abuse

B

Ban the Box: a campaign to remove from hiring applications the check box that asks if applicants have a criminal record.

C

CCAP: The Wisconsin Circuit Court Access website, managed by the state court system and providing “free, efficient, and convenient public access to court case records.” (from website)

CCB: City-County Building. The old Dane County jail is located here, on the 6th and 7th floors.

CO: Corrections (parole or probation) Officer

Crimeless revocation: Parole, or extended supervision, is cancelled because of a rule violation, and the offender is sent back to jail or prison though they haven’t committed a new crime.

D

DOC: Department of Corrections

E

ES: Extended supervision – the term used instead of “parole” under Truth in Sentencing laws

EXPO: Ex-incarcerated People Organizing for justice system reform nationwide.

F

Ferris Center: Building on Rimrock Road in Madison that houses minimum security prisoners with work release privileges.

G

GAMALIEL: National network formed in 1986 to train community and faith leaders to build political power while uniting people of diverse faiths and races. WISDOM is the Wisconsin affiliate.

H

Huber Law: Allows qualified prisoners to leave jail during the day for work, school, etc.

J

Jail Task Force: See MOSES JSRI

L

Leadership Board: voting representatives of MOSES’ constituent groups (faith communities, nonprofits, individuals) who meet bimonthly to offer direction to MOSES.

M

MAD – Madison Action Day: WISDOM members from across the state gather every two years near the Capitol in Madison to hear speakers, talk to legislators about our budget priorities, and march with banners.

Mead and Hunt: Consulting firm hired by the Dane County Board to study our current jail system and make recommendations. The firm has produced several reports at this point.

MOSES JSRI: Justice System Reform Initiative. Task force with a focus on Dane County.

O

Old Law Parole: refers to indeterminate sentencing practiced before 1998 (see Truth in Sentencing Law). It allowed for early release contingent on good behavior, followed by a period of parole. Release was mandatory after two-thirds of the term was served. Many Old Law prisoners have reached the mandatory release date but cannot gain release.

On paper: means an individual is still under DOC Parole or Extended Supervision.

P

Parole: under Old Law, the period when individuals are released to the community but are still under DOC Community Supervision.

PO: Parole or probation officer

PP&J: Public Protection and Judiciary, a standing committee of the Dane County Board that works on public protection and jail issues, including mental health, solitary confinement, alternatives to arrest and incarceration.

Public Safety Building: Located at 115 W. Doty St., it houses medium security prisoners and prisoners sentenced to jail with work release.

R

Restorative justice: Efforts to help offenders change their thinking and behavior by repairing relationships and community.

Revocation: Sending a parolee back to prison for violating a rule of supervision or committing another crime.

ROC Wisconsin: Restore Our Communities, a project of WISDOM. Succeeded the 11×15 campaign (see below) of 2015.

S

Second Chance Act: Federal legislation from 2008 that provided federal funding for programs that help people leaving prison reenter their communities. The Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2017 (H.R. 2899) was introduced in June to build on the now-expiring original legislation, but has not yet been passed.

Second Chance Bill: A Wisconsin bill (AB 387/SB 308) still in committee that would prevent first-time, non-violent 17-year-old offenders from automatically being treated as adults.

T

TAD: Treatment alternative and diversion programs supporting drug-treatment courts and other initiatives intended to keep lower-level offenders out of jail.

Truth in Sentencing Law: Passed in Wisconsin in 1998, it requires judges to sentence offenders to a set amount of time in prison without possibility of parole, plus additional time on extended supervision (see Old Law).

W

WISDOM: A statewide network of congregation-based organizations, of which MOSES is one, working to present a common voice on social justice issues. Local branches are listed below*.

11×15 Campaign: an effort by WISDOM to halve Wisconsin’s prison population by the end of 2015, from about 22,000 to about 11,000. Since the objective was not achieved, the ongoing campaign was rebranded as ROC Wisconsin (see above).

*WISDOM LOCAL AFFILIATES:

AMOS – La Crosse area
CUSH – Kenosha County
ESTHER – Fox Cities & Oshkosh
JOB – Beloit JONAH Eau –Claire area
JOSHUA – Green Bay & Brown County
MICAH – Milwaukee County
MOSES – Madison area
NAOMI – Wausau area
RIC – Racine County
RUTH – Manitowoc County
SOPHIA – Waukesha County