Legal Disclaimer

Access to and use of the Department of Corrections website is provided subject to these terms and conditions. PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY AS USE OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

Disclaimer of Liability

Neither the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, nor any of its employees shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone's use of the information. In no event shall the Wisconsin Department of Corrections or its employees be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this system, even if advised of the possibility of such damage. This disclaimer of liability applies to any damages or injury, including but not limited to those caused by any failure of performance, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, computer virus, communication line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, alteration of, or use of record, whether for breach of contract, tortuous behavior, negligence or under any other cause of action.

Indemnification and Hold Harmless

The user will indemnify and hold harmless the Wisconsin Department of Corrections and all of its officials, officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all liability of any character including, without limitation, suits, actions, claims, demands, losses, judgments, costs, damages, and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising from or incidental to the act or omission of the user, or any of its officers, agents, employees, or contractors, pertaining in any way or growing out of user’s access to this system, whether in tort or any other cause of action, regardless of whether or not said liability arises or results in part from the act or omission of a party indemnified hereunder.

Disclaimer of Warranties and Accuracy of Data

Although the data found using the Department of Corrections’ access systems have been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of the information. The Department provides this information on an "as is" basis. All warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, freedom from contamination by computer viruses and non-infringement of proprietary rights are disclaimed. Changes may be periodically made to the information herein; these changes may or may not be incorporated in any new version of the publication. If you have obtained information from any of the Department’s Web pages from a source other than the Department pages, be aware that electronic data can be altered subsequent to original distribution. Data can also quickly become out of date. It is recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of any data associated with a file, and that the originator of the data or information be contacted with any questions regarding appropriate use. If you find any errors or omissions, we encourage you to report them to the Department, DOCweb@wisconsin.gov

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The Department of Corrections is a distributor of content sometimes supplied by third parties and users. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including information providers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or distributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Department of Corrections and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the Department of Corrections.

Disclaimer for External Links

The Department of Corrections is not responsible for the contents of any off-site pages referenced. The user specifically acknowledges that the Department is not liable for the defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct of other users, links, or third parties and that the risk of injury from the foregoing rests entirely with the user. Links from the Department of Corrections Web pages on the World Wide Web to other sites do not constitute an endorsement from the Department. These links are provided as an information service only. It is the responsibility of the user to evaluate the content and usefulness of information obtained from other sites. The Department’s website contains links to other related World Wide Web Internet sites and resources. Since the Department’s website is not responsible for the availability of these outside resources or their contents, you should direct any concerns regarding any external link to its site administrator or Webmaster.

Disclaimer of Duty to Continue Provision of Data

Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, resources that are free and publicly available one day may require a fee or restricted access the next, and the location of items may change as menus, homepages, and files are reorganized. The user expressly agrees that use of the Department’s website is at the user's sole risk. The Department does not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted or error free. The documents and related graphics published on this server could contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. Changes are periodically added to the information herein. The Department or its respective divisions and programs may make improvements or changes in the information and programs described herein at any time.

Choice of Law and Venue

Construction of the disclaimers above and resolution of disputes thereof are governed by the laws of the State of Wisconsin. The laws of the State of Wisconsin, U.S.A., shall apply to all uses of this data and this system. By use of this system and any data contained therein, the user agrees that use shall conform to all applicable laws and regulations and user shall not violate the rights of any third parties. The venue of any litigation pertaining to the use of this system shall be the Circuit Court for Dane County, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections Privacy Protection Statement

The Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) must collect and maintain private personal information, such as Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, or financial account information, about its employees, victim clients, juveniles, adult offenders and others so it may execute its statutory missions.

It is DOC policy and practice to collect and use private personal information only when it is relevant and necessary for the effective operation of the agency or when there is a clear and compelling legal reason to do so. DOC is committed to using private personal information responsibly and for business purposes only.

DOC limits the disclosure of private personal information and does so only with authorized parties when there is a clear business “need to know”, legal requirement or otherwise legitimate purpose which supports the DOC mission.

The Department also recognizes that it has a responsibility to maintain and dispose of private personal information in a secure manner to prevent inadvertent or intentional disclosures which could harm individuals, the agency or state, or lead to identity theft. Through updated policies, education, and employee training, DOC is continually working to ensure the private personal information maintained during the course of business is properly protected until its state-approved record retention period expires and secure disposal of the information can take place.

A DOC Privacy Compliance Officer and Privacy Protection Team work with Department leadership to ensure clear privacy practices and policies are developed and routinely reviewed for effectiveness. 

Mandatory privacy training and education efforts to promote best practices are ways the DOC and its employees are committed to protecting individual private personal information and minimizing the risk of data breaches and identity theft.

Nothing in DOC privacy policies or procedures supersedes any federal or state law regarding the notification of breaches or collection, receipt, handling, storage or disposal of private personal information. DOC is committed to complying with all applicable laws.

Any questions about the Department’s privacy protection statement or related issues should be directed to the DOC Privacy Officer at DOCPrivacyOfficer@wi.gov.

Privacy Notices

State of Wisconsin laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records provided by both state and federal laws. These exceptions include the privacy of individuals.

Information collected at this site becomes public record and may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exception in law exists. During your visit to the Department’s website, information that is not readily identifiable to an individual is automatically collected and stored. This information is used solely to improve our Web services. For more detail on our privacy policy, please see the following expanded statement.

Information Collected and How It is Used

If you do nothing during your visit to the Department of Corrections website but browse or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information about your visit:

• The IP address and domain name used but not the e-mail address. The IP address is a numerical identifier assigned either to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or directly to your computer. We use the IP address to direct Internet traffic to you; 
• The type of browser and operating system you used and your connection speed; 
• The date and time you visited this site; 
• The Web pages or services you accessed at this site; and 
• The Web site you visited prior to coming to this website.

The information we automatically collect or store is used to improve the content of our Web services and to help us understand how people are using our services. We analyze our website logs to continually improve the value of the materials available on our site. DOC website logs are not personally identifiable, and we make no attempt to link them with the individuals that browse the Department of Corrections website.

If during your visit to the Department of Corrections website you participate in a survey or send an email, the following additional information will be collected:

• Email correspondence: The email address and contents of the email; 
• Surveys: Any information you volunteered in response to a survey. 

The information collected is not limited to text characters and may include audio, video, and graphic information formats you send us. The information is retained in accordance with Wisconsin Open Records Law.

We use your email to respond appropriately. This may be to respond to you, to address issues you identify, to further improve our website, or to forward the email to another agency for appropriate action. Survey information is used for the purpose designated.

Personal Information and Choice

"Personal information" is information about an individual that is readily identifiable to that specific individual. Personal information includes personal identifiers such as an individual's name, address, and phone number. A domain name or IP address is not considered personal information.

We collect no personal information about you unless you voluntarily participate in an activity that asks for information (i.e., sending an email or participating in a survey). If you choose not to participate in these activities, your choice will in no way affect your ability to use any other feature of the Department of Corrections website.

If personal information is requested on the website or volunteered by the user, state law and the federal Privacy Act of 1974 may protect it. However, this information is a public record once you provide it, and may be subject to public inspection and copying if not protected by federal or state law.

Users are cautioned that the collection of personal information requested from or volunteered by children online or by email will be treated the same as information given by an adult and may be subject to public access.

Public Disclosure

In the State of Wisconsin, laws exist to ensure that government is open and that the public has a right to access appropriate records and information possessed by state government. At the same time, there are exceptions to the public's right to access public records that serve various needs: the privacy of individuals is included among these exceptions. Both state and federal laws provide exceptions. We strive to protect personally identifiable information by collecting only information necessary to deliver our services. All information collected at this site becomes a public record that may be subject to inspection and copying by the public, unless an exemption in law exists.
In the event of a conflict between this Privacy Notice and the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other law governing the disclosure of records, the Wisconsin Open Records Law or other applicable law will control.

Access and Correction of Personal Information

You can review any personal information we collect about you. You may recommend changes to your personal information you believe in error by submitting a written request that credibly shows the error. If you believe that your personal information is being used for a purpose other than what was intended when submitted, you may contact us. In all cases, we will take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting access or making corrections. See Contact Information section.


Information About Browsing History

What is a Cookie?

A cookie is a small amount of data, which may include an anonymous unique identifier,that is sent to your browser from a Web site's computers and may either be used only during your session, a "session" cookie, or may be stored on your computer's hard drive, a "persistent" cookie. Cookies can contain data about user movement during their visit to the Web site. If your browser software is set to allow cookies, a website can send its own cookie to you. A Web site that has set a cookie can only access those cookies it has sent to you, it cannot access cookies sent to you by other sites.

Why are Cookies used on websites?

Cookies are one mechanism for maintaining continuity during a user's visit to a website. They allow data to be maintained for users' benefit as they navigate a site. This is referred to as "session" or "state management" cookie. These cookies go away when you terminate your visit to the website as they are maintained only in your browser's active memory during your session. Cookies may also be stored on your computer so that you can be recognized by a website on subsequent visits. They can be read by the website that set them whenever you enter the website. They are often used on websites that require you to log in to save you entering all of your log-in information. They may store information on your unique identifier and the areas of the website you have visited before. These cookies are stored on your computer's hard drive after you have left your website visit and consequently are often referred to as "persistent" cookies.

Choices about Cookies

You can configure your browser to accept all cookies, reject all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set. Each browser is different, so check the "Help" menu of your browser to learn how to change your cookie preferences.

Department of Corrections’ practices regarding cookies
The Department of Corrections website uses only session cookies. The information on these cookies is retained by the DOC only while the user's session is active in a table that lists the unique identifiers of those currently using the site. Currently, session states are set to 30 minutes maximum.

Security

The Department of Corrections, as developer and manager of the DOC website, has taken several steps to safeguard the integrity of its telecommunications and computing infrastructure, including but not limited to authentication, monitoring, auditing, and encryption. Security measures have been integrated into the design, implementation, and day-to-day practices of the entire DOC operating environment as part of its continuing commitment to risk management.

This information should not be construed in any way as giving business, legal, or other advice. This information should not be construed as warranting as fail-proof the security of information provided through DOC supported websites.

Disclaimer

The Department of Corrections has links to other websites. These include links to websites operated by other government agencies, nonprofit organizations and private businesses. When you link to another site, you are no longer on the Department of Corrections website and this Privacy Notice will not apply. When you link to another website, you are subject to the privacy policy of that new site.

Department of Corrections contact information

To offer comments about this website or to comment on the information presented in this Privacy Notice, please visit DOC's Contact Us page.