Public and Staff Safety

Safety concerns increase when inmates cannot be properly separated based on required classification. Housing individuals together who should be kept apart can lead to tension and conflict inside the facility, putting both staff and inmates at greater risk.

 

From a design standpoint, the linear layout of the current jail provides restricted view to the inmates which creates increased potential for inmate and staff assaults due to limited visibility. Poor visibility associated with linear design also creates an opportunity for contraband smuggling, security vulnerabilities, and operational inefficiencies. Learn more about podular vs. linear design.

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Additionally, taking inmates from the jail to the courtroom requires walking the inmate through a public corridor and across a city street which presents safety concerns as it places both deputies and the public in close proximity to potentially dangerous individuals. Furthermore, the absence of secure corridors between booking, the jail, and the courtroom forces inmates to move through general areas, increasing the risk of confrontations, injuries, escapes, and potential liability for Shawano County.

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There are also safety risks when overflow inmates housed in the Work Release Center (Huber) must be transported back and forth to the courthouse. Each transport requires moving inmates through public areas and onto public roadways. This creates additional exposure to the community/transport staff and increases the chance of confrontations, attempted escape, or other incidents.

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Other Safety Risks

• Many areas of the jail are used for multiple purposes because there aren’t enough dedicated spaces. In a secure facility, different functions like booking, breathalyzer testing, medical care and storage, property storage, and inmate movement need to happen in separate, controlled areas. When spaces are shared, supervision becomes harder, inmate movement increases, and the risk of conflict or security issues increases.

• The facility lacks a safety cell/de-escalation room for disruptive inmates, increasing the risk of injury to staff, other inmates, and the individual in distress.

• There are no secure perimeter chases that provide easy access to electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems so inmates often need to be moved so contractors can work when systems need maintenance.

• The jail’s secured entry area (sally port) is too small and outdated. It is also shared with food delivery trucks, which cause congestion and limits control when inmates are being brought in or out. This increases the risk of accidents, delays, and/or security issues.

• The absence of negative pressure cells makes it impossible to isolate contagious inmates, increasing the potential for disease transmission.

• Outdated security system poses serious risks, including increased chances of inmate escapes, contraband smuggling, and violence due to malfunctioning surveillance, access control failures, and poor alarm response times.

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Visit the "Existing Conditions" page of this website for pictures and details to learn more about issues the jail and Sheriff’s office is facing.