Top officials overseeing juvenile corrections leave jobs amid work to close youth prison

MADISON - The top administrators overseeing juvenile corrections are out of their jobs at a time when lawmakers are struggling to put in motion a plan that would dramatically change how the state incarcerates teenagers.

Both administrators of the state Department of Corrections' Division of Juvenile Corrections left their jobs in the last two months — leaving oversight of the state's troubled youth prisons and implementation of lawmakers' plans to close it to others within the state agency.

Administrator John Paquin retired in May and Assistant Administrator Shelby McCulley started work at the state Department of Children and Families on Monday.

Both had overseen the juvenile corrections division since 2016 and 2010, respectively, and through a period of department turnover amid a federal investigation into abuse at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls youth prisons at Irma in Lincoln County.  

McCulley will now oversee the DCF's bureau of youth services and the department's role in the juvenile corrections overhaul.

DOC spokeswoman Clare Hendricks said youth prison administrators will now report to Deputy Secretary Amy Pechacek, who previously worked as director of operations for Milwaukee County where she oversaw risk mitigation including for the county's youth detention center, the County Jail and the House of Correction. 

"While the DOC continues the hiring process for the Division of Juvenile Corrections Administrator and Assistant Administrators, other DOC divisional leaders are supporting the Division of Juvenile Corrections with technical support and other aspects," Hendricks said. 

Juvenile corrections overhaul

The vacancies at the department come as lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers are delaying the closure of the Lincoln Hills prison, which was supposed to take place by 2021 under a law passed last year.

In its place, the Department of Corrections and local county governments would create smaller facilities around the state with some run by state officials and some run by counties. 

But lawmakers are grappling with a more expensive price tag to carry out the plan than originally projected and hostility from communities where the new facilities are proposed to open. 

Reps. Evan Goyke of Milwaukee and Rep. Michael Schraa of Oshkosh, authors of the law that requires the state to create a new system of juvenile correctional facilities, did not return phone calls seeking comment about the vacancies. 

Hendricks said regardless of the staff changes, the department is committed to closing the Lincoln Hills facility "as soon as safe and appropriate alternatives for our youth can be identified."

Calling on The Avengers

Kenneth Streit, a University of Wisconsin Law School professor who specializes in juvenile justice policies and has represented juvenile offenders, said the department needs the criminal justice equivalent of a Marvel Comics superhero team. 

"(DOC Secretary) Kevin Carr needs The Avengers with someone who can aggressively manage change at Irma, a second superhero who can assist counties to develop the best programs possible and Captain America who can come up with one or two small state units which not only safely houses youth, but makes them and their communities better," he said.

"Given the incredible changes that are scheduled to happen in the next two years, Wisconsin will need to find someone with strong leadership to manage the change and also great listening skills (what do judges and county leaders want) and vision," Streit said. 

Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MollyBeck.