As published by The Wheeler Report – Friday, January 13, 1995
DOC released a year-end report showing the state’s prison system set admission record. 5,855 inmates were admitted to the system in 1994, bringing the total to more than 10,000: 40% over capacity.
DOC compiled a report on population in the system covering 1990-2014. Here is the information from Appendix B (Page 15) of that report updated to include inmate populations through the end of fiscal year 2017:
| Point-in-Time (year-end) | Population |
| 1990 | 7332 |
| 1991 | 7757 |
| 1992 | 8909 |
| 1993 | 9917 |
| 1994 | 11,456 |
| 1995 | 12,596 |
| 1996 | 14,339 |
| 1997 | 15,730 |
| 1998 | 18,060 |
| 1999 | 20,112 |
| 2000 | 20,367 |
| 2001 | 21,102 |
| 2002 | 21,652 |
| 2003 | 22,072 |
| 2004 | 22,415 |
| 2005 | 22,198 |
| 2006 | 22,903 |
| 2007 | 23,183 |
| 2008 | 22,767 |
| 2009 | 22,519 |
| 2010 | 22,113 |
| 2011 | 22,110 |
| 2012 | 22,043 |
| 2013 | 22,164 |
| 2014 | 22,215 |
| 1/1/2016 | 22,557 |
| 12/31/2016 | 22,270 |
| FY2017 | 23,140 |
And Today …
According to the November 10, 2017 DOC population report the total inmate population is 23,397, 70% over the design capacity of 16,560 inmates for Wisconsin adult institutions.
The population report also notes that 447 inmates are currently being housed in county jails.
The 2017-19 state budget included provisions for a corrections facilities planning committee. According to Act 59 (Page 369, (11)), “The corrections facilities planning committee shall develop a comprehensive, long-range master plan concerning department of corrections facilities…” The committee is required to submit the plan to the governor and legislative committees by September 18, 2018.
| Institution | Year Opened | Design Capacity | Population (11/10/17) |
| Waupun (Max) | 1851 | 882 | 1257 |
| Green Bay (Max) | 1898 | 749 | 1097 |
| Taycheedah (Female, Max) | 1921 | 653 | 924 |
| Gordon (Min) | 1950 | 52 | 87 |
| Flambeau (Min) | 1954 | 50 | 94 |
| McNaughton (Min) | 1956 | 55 | 105 |
| Fox Lake (Med) | 1962 | 979 | 1336 |
| Kettle Morraine (Med) | 1962 | 783 | 1182 |
| Black River (Min) | 1962 | 66 | 116 |
| Winnebago (Min) | 1974 | 210 | 262 |
| Oakhill (Min) | 1976 | 344 | 712 |
| Drug Abuse (Min) | 1977 | 125 | 291 |
| Dodge (Max) | 1978 | 1165 | 1669 |
| Marshall (Min) | 1981 | 32 | 55 |
| Sanger B. Powers (Min) | 1982 | 60 | 116 |
| Resource Center (Male/Female, Max) | 1983 | 376 | 376 |
| Columbia (Max) | 1986 | 541 | 828 |
| Oshkosh (Med) | 1986 | 1494 | 2040 |
| Robert E. Ellsworth (Female, Min) | 1989 | 230 | 475 |
| John C. Burke (Min) | 1990 | 186 | 250 |
| Kenosha (Min) | 1990 | 60 | 119 |
| Racine (Med) | 1991 | 1171 | 1697 |
| St. Croix (Male/Female, Min) | 1991 | 94 | 108 |
| Oregon (Min) | 1992 | 78 | 118 |
| Thompson (Min) | 1993 | 118 | 126 |
| Jackson (Med) | 1996 | 837 | 993 |
| Prairie Du Chien (Med) | 1997 | 326 | 516 |
| Racine Youthful Offender (Med) | 1998 | 400 | 449 |
| Wisconsin Secure Program (Max) | 1999 | 501 | 458 |
| Felmers O. Chaney (Min) | 2000 | 100 | 87 |
| Milwaukee Secure (Male/Female, Med) | 2001 | 467 | 622 |
| Redgranite (Med) | 2001 | 990 | 1013 |
| Stanley (Med) | 2003 | 1500 | 1572 |
| Sturtevant Transitional (Min) | 2003 | 150 | 144 |
| Milwaukee Women’s (Female, Min) | 2003 | 42 | 101 |
| Chippewa Valley (Min) | 2004 | 450 | 503 |
| New Lisbon (Med) | 2004 | 950 | 1044 |