Criminal Legal Reform

We work to reverse the tide of mass incarceration, advance constitutional rights, shift power to under-resourced communities, and elevate approaches to justice and safety that advance fundamental freedoms for all.

Collage of fist, protest, and police

What you need to know

23,032 people are incarcerated

in Wisconsin, as of February 2025.

63,200 people are on probation or parole

and cannot vote until they are "off paper."

52 municipal courts use carceral sanctions

when people fail to pay their tickets.

What's At Stake

As Wisconsinites plea for racial justice and real public safety solutions, policing remains systemically inequitable, the conditions inside Wisconsin prisons remain unacceptable, and marijuana remains illegal — all the while the system continues to siphon off critical taxpayer money.

Our Work

There's still a long way to go to end mass incarceration in Wisconsin, but recently, there's been some good news:

The Latest


News & Commentary
Ida B Wells quote reading "Those who commit the murders writes the reports."

The ‘Cycle’ Continues

Another Wisconsinite was killed by police – hours after the world premiere of “Cycle," a documentary about the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Ty’Rese West by Mount Pleasant Police Officer Eric Giese.
Publication
weed report

The State of Cannabis in Wisconsin

We released The State of Cannabis in Wisconsin, a report advocating for marijuana legalization, pointing to the overwhelming support for legalization among Wisconsin voters and the cost of continued criminalization.
Publication

Failure to Pay: The Use of Debt-Based Carceral Sanctions and Warrants in Wisconsin's Municipal Courts

"Failure to Pay" reveals the scope of debt-based sanctions in Wisconsin's municipal courts, creating a two-tiered system of punishment for those with financial means and those without.
Know Your Rights

Know Your Rights: Police Encounters

Cases, Campaigns & Legislation


Court Case
Mar 26, 2026

KRC v. State: Miranda Rights During School Interrogations

We filed an amicus brief asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to protect students' constitutional rights during police interrogations at school. The court agreed.
Campaign
Mar 2026

Community Control Over Police Surveillance

Local law enforcement’s use of surveillance technology, which in most places has occurred without any community input or control, presents significant threats to civil liberties.
Legislation
Feb 28, 2025

AB 87/SB 95: Modern Day Poll Tax

This bill would prevent people with felony convictions from regaining their constitutional right to vote until they have paid all costs imposed as part of their sentence.
Status: Vetoed by governor
Position: Oppose
Campaign
Sep 2025

Pregnant in Prison

All pregnant people deserve dignity before, during, and after birth.