GOVERNOR HOPEFULS CALL FOR PRISON REFORM

But Democrats Can't Agree On How To Do It

MADISON - The three Democrats running for governor agreed Wisconsin needs
major reforms in its prison system but disagreed on how best to achieve the
changes during a free-form debate Thursday night.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk pushed her agenda of releasing
nonviolent prisoners.

Falk, Attorney General Jim Doyle and U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett debated their
policies in a round-table format with no moderator. The debate was
sponsored by We the People/Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Television.

Falk said Wisconsin incarcerates three times as many offenders as
neighboring Minnesota. "We need to be smarter on crime here and smarter on
dollars."

But Doyle criticized her for not considering the serious ramifications of
letting so many offenders out of prison. Most of the prisoners serving less
than two years in jail are there for serious offenses such as repeated
drunken driving and break-and-enter, he said.

"The people who are in the prison system are not first-time marijuana
offenders," Doyle said.

"Jim, don't say that. I've never said something like that," Falk responded.

"A person may have a drug problem but committed three burglaries to support
their habit. ... They are a danger," Doyle said.

Barrett said it's embarrassing that Wisconsin sends more prisoners out of
state than any other state.

The state corrections system has 21,229 inmates, of which 3,476 are housed
out of state.

"I want to bring those prisoners back," Barrett said, adding that prison
downsizing has to be done without forcing prison guards to lose their jobs.

The three candidates are campaigning for Tuesday's primary, and the winner
will likely face Republican Gov. Scott McCallum in the general election in
November.