by MOSES Madison | Sep 7, 2026 | Advocacy, Newsletter, Prisons, WISDOM Old Law
Wisconsin’s commutation process is moving forward — and after decades without a meaningful pathway for commutations, this is an important moment for fair chances and transformational justice in our state. On August 21, the Governor’s Commutation Advisory Board held its first public hearing, hearing directly from 12 people seeking to have their sentences shortened. More than 800 incarcerated people have applied for consideration since Governor Tony Evers restored Wisconsin’s commutation process earlier this year. For people who have spent years — and in some cases decades — incarcerated, these hearings represent something Wisconsin has gone without for far too long: a meaningful opportunity to demonstrate growth, rehabilitation and readiness to return home.
“Commutation hearings give us an opportunity to look beyond a person’s worst moment and hear the full story of who they have become. When we listen to stories of accountability, remorse, growth, and transformation, we are reminded that people are more than the mistakes they made years—or even decades—ago.”
— Sherry Reames, WISDOM Commutations Committee Member
This moment comes as Wisconsin’s prison system has reached a troubling milestone. New reporting shows that Wisconsin’s prison population has reached a record 23,854 people — nearly 6,000 people above the system’s intended capacity. Overcrowding affects incarcerated people, programming, rehabilitation and ultimately our communities. Commutation alone will not solve Wisconsin’s incarceration crisis. But it is one important tool for recognizing that people can change — and that justice must leave room for redemption, rehabilitation and second chances.
The first hearing was a major step, but it was only the beginning. The next Commutation Advisory Board hearing will take place September 18 from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. CT. Members of the public can tune in virtually here on the Governor’s Commutations YouTube channel and/or WisconsinEye to hear directly from people seeking commutation. As this process continues, WISDOM will keep advocating for a Wisconsin that believes people are more than the worst thing they have ever done. Stay connected with us to learn more; see recent news
In community,
WISDOM’s Commutations Committee
by MOSES Publications | Jul 8, 2026 | Advocacy, Featured, Newsletter, Prisons, Sentencing, WISDOM Old Law
Applying for Commutations in Wisconsin: How the New Process is Going
By Sherry Reames
A lot has happened in the weeks since Gov. Evers announced the establishment of an application process for commuting (shortening) some of the long sentences currently being served in Wisconsin prisons. Most of the news so far is positive, but there have been some discouraging developments.
On the negative side, some people are exploiting this opportunity to make a profit, either financially or politically, at the expense of hopeful prisoners and their families. At least one scammer is simply ripping prisoners off by promising to prepare applications that are guaranteed to succeed, but then pocketing the applicants’ Social Security numbers along with their money. Some lawyers are charging thousands of dollars to help with the few parts of the application process that prisoners can’t do for themselves. And some politicians and media sources are stirring up opposition to the very idea of granting an early release to anyone whose victims might still envision them as a threat, no matter how much time has passed and how well they’ve been rehabilitated.
Luckily, there is also quite a bit of good news:
(1) After some initial resistance, prison officials are cooperating with the application process in most cases by providing prisoners with access to the necessary forms, individual records, photocopying, and notary services.
(2) Gov. Evers has released the names and brief biographies of his Commutation Advisory Board appointees, and among them are Jerome Dillard, former (now retired) director of EXPO; former Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, who has served on the governor’s Pardon Board; Professor Jonathan Scharrer, who directs the Restorative Justice Project at the UW Law School; and other experts on the legal system, trauma, recovery, and rehabilitation.
(3) Advocates for prisoners, including those in the WISDOM Old Law/ Commutations workgroup, have learned how to complete an application that will be accepted for consideration and are freely sharing that information with others. The process is demanding. It requires applicants to list and explain all their encounters with law enforcement (including any juvenile cases, cases in other states, and charges that were immediately dropped). They must also answer hard questions about both the crime for which they are seeking commutation and the reasons they should be given a second chance. Finally, they must provide a detailed and convincing plan for successful re-entry. But a well-informed volunteer or family member can help most prisoners pull it all together in a few weeks.
For individual advice on the process, prisoners and their loved ones are encouraged to contact either ProSay (hello@weareprosay.org) or WISDOMcommutation@gmail.com. Money should not be a barrier. In fact, ProSay and its affiliate Justice Forward Wisconsin have applied for grant money specifically aimed at reimbursing the costs involved in completing an application. If the work is done by loved ones or volunteers instead of lawyers, the total cost (for the required legal documents plus three photocopies of the whole application plus postage to the Governor’s Office, the DA, and the Clerk of Courts) should be considerably less than $100.
