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Kreitlow Bill Protecting Corrections Officers Moves Forward

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Senate Judiciary Committee passes John Doe Reform Bill

MADISON – The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform and Housing passed SB 51 today by a 5-0 vote. The bill, which was authored by Senator Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls), protects corrections officers from facing frivolous criminal complaints lodged against them by inmates. Kreitlow authored the bill at the request of corrections officers working in the Chippewa Valley.

“Our corrections officers have a tough enough job without having to worry that a baseless complaint against them will turn into a criminal investigation because the current process is flawed,” said Kreitlow. “Our bill provides a clear and efficient process for these complaints to thoroughly reviewed and vetted, making John Doe proceedings more credible.” So-called “John Doe” cases allow inmates to file complaints anonymously and with little discretion for judges to determine their validity.

The bill improves the John Doe process by formalizing how a complaint is reviewed by both a district attorney and a circuit court judge. It provides strict guidelines on how cases are reviewed in deciding whether formal criminal charges should be filed against a corrections officer. The legislation has been endorsed by both advocates for inmates’ rights and the corrections officers.

“I’m grateful to the committee for their support in moving this bill forward,” added Kreitlow. “I’m going to urge leadership to take this bill to the full Senate before the end of the month so that these reforms can be put in place right away.”“John Doe” Reform Bill Gets Positive Reaction from Senate Committee

MADISON – The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Corrections held a public hearing today on legislation introduced by Senator Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls) that would protect corrections officers by making improvements in how “John Doe” complaints filed by prison inmates are administered in Wisconsin. John Doe proceedings guarantee that a prison inmate can make a criminal complaint without disclosing their name.

“I introduced this legislation in response to the concerns of corrections officers working at the Stanley Correctional Institution who feel that the current law left too much room for abuse,” said Kreitlow. “This bill sets more clear guidelines for the way inmate complaints are handled, protecting corrections officers from having to go through frivolous lawsuits.”

This legislation improves the John Doe process by formalizing how a complaint is reviewed by the both the District Attorney and the circuit court Judge, providing strict guidelines for how cases are reviewed and whether formal charges are filed against a corrections officer. The legislation has been endorsed by both advocates for inmates’ rights and the corrections officers.

“This legislation is the result of the work of a broad coalition labor groups, judicial experts and legislators, including committee chair Senator Lena Taylor,” added Kreitlow. “This broad coalition is what makes me optimistic that this bill, unlike previous attempts to reform the John Doe process, will finally become law.”

Last Updated (2009-04-06 22:15:55)