Charges against warden and guards at Wisconsin’s Shawshank-like prison renew calls to close it

By SCOTT BAUER and TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The charges brought this week against a warden and eight staffers related to the deaths of two inmates at Wisconsin’s oldest prison are leading to renewed calls to close it and another lockup. The prison at Waupun was built in the 1850s and has long been a target for closure given concerns about deterioration, extended lockdowns and staffing shortfalls. Republican lawmakers say they will increase oversight amid renewed discussions about building a new prison. Concerns over job losses and the cost of building a new prison have been stumbling blocks in the past.