Is The Department Of Corrections Pushing Quotas?
State Denies Disciplining Agents Who Don't Meet 'Goals'
Posted: 3:25 pm CST January 6, 2003
MADISON, Wis. -- Is the Department of Corrections pushing quotas? Probation and parole officers told New 3's Linda Eggert it is.
Some state probation and parole agents say a new job performance goal is turning them into bill collectors and putting the public at risk.Under the new fee collection goal, agents say they're hassling clients rather than helping them, and giving the state money that could go to victims.Department of Corrections officials say there is a lot of misunderstanding over this whole issue, and they are only enacting something lawmakers passed.But agents in the field say it's just not that simple.Convicts out of prison and on parole, and felons on probation are monitored every day in your community by some 1,200 state probation and parole agents -- such as agents Cindy Hopkins and Laura Welle.
They told News 3 they are upset and frustrated."It's a challenge, and it's extremely stressful," Welle (pictured, right) said.It all started last summer, when the DOC doubled the so-called "supervision fee" offenders are supposed to pay to defray administration -- restitution amounts have always exceeded fee payments, News 3 reported.But this year, the DOC wants to collect $2 million in fees than restitution.Agents say their bosses are essentially pushing quotas -- highlighting monthly fee collection amounts agent by agent and threatening possible future discipline.
"I've never seen anything like this for agents -- we've never been pushed to collect restitution the way we are with supervision fees. We're often finding ourselves having to make a choice whether to apply that money to restitution so that it goes back to victims, or whether the money ought to be applied to supervision fees," Hopkins (pictured, right) said.Since 1996, the DOC says it's collected nearly $60 million in restitution, compared to $34 million in fees, and says the state Legislature has directed it to double its fee collection."It's not a quota system," said Bill Clausius of the DOC. "It's a goal. It's a simple goal."
When Eggert asked Clausius (pictured, left) what happens if agents don't meet their "goal," he said, "Nothing ... it is part of the requirement in terms of their job, but there's not going to be discipline as a result."
But agents and their union point to a fall manager meeting, where the minutes say, "If needed, non-complying agents will be counseled, given a work directive and, if needed, discipline will be imposed. Supervision fees are equal to restitution -- the job has changed."Clausius told News 3, "not really," because part of the agent's job has always been to collect various fees.Agents agree, but argue supervision fees have been pretty much voluntary in the past -- taking a back seat to victim restitution.Agents say offenders only have so much money to give, and say you can't get blood from a turnip.
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They told News 3 they are upset and frustrated."It's a challenge, and it's extremely stressful," Welle (pictured, right) said.It all started last summer, when the DOC doubled the so-called "supervision fee" offenders are supposed to pay to defray administration -- restitution amounts have always exceeded fee payments, News 3 reported.But this year, the DOC wants to collect $2 million in fees than restitution.Agents say their bosses are essentially pushing quotas -- highlighting monthly fee collection amounts agent by agent and threatening possible future discipline."I've never seen anything like this for agents -- we've never been pushed to collect restitution the way we are with supervision fees. We're often finding ourselves having to make a choice whether to apply that money to restitution so that it goes back to victims, or whether the money ought to be applied to supervision fees," Hopkins (pictured, right) said.Since 1996, the DOC says it's collected nearly $60 million in restitution, compared to $34 million in fees, and says the state Legislature has directed it to double its fee collection."It's not a quota system," said Bill Clausius of the DOC. "It's a goal. It's a simple goal."When Eggert asked Clausius (pictured, left) what happens if agents don't meet their "goal," he said, "Nothing ... it is part of the requirement in terms of their job, but there's not going to be discipline as a result."But agents and their union point to a fall manager meeting, where the minutes say, "If needed, non-complying agents will be counseled, given a work directive and, if needed, discipline will be imposed. Supervision fees are equal to restitution -- the job has changed."Clausius told News 3, "not really," because part of the agent's job has always been to collect various fees.Agents agree, but argue supervision fees have been pretty much voluntary in the past -- taking a back seat to victim restitution.Agents say offenders only have so much money to give, and say you can't get blood from a turnip. Copyright 2007 by Channel 3000. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
