Policy, Rights & Advocacy

Wisconsins prisons incarcerate a record high number of people

Published On: September 16, 2026

Credit: WPR

Wisconsin’s prison population hit a record high of 23,854, about 6,000 more than it officially has capacity to hold. To learn what problems prison overcrowding can cause and what remedies there are we speak with a Republican senator and an advocate for incarcerated people.

Listen here: https://www.wpr.org/shows/wisconsin-today-2/mail-in-voting-overcrowding-in-wisconsins-prisons-a-local-aviator-lost-to-history


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