Center Information
Black River Correctional Center (BRCC) is located east of Black River Falls, in Jackson County. Its current facility operating capacity is 118 adult male inmates. BRCC is part of the Wisconsin Correctional Center System, an "institution" comprised of 14 adult, male correctional centers overseen by a single warden whose office is centrally located in Madison.
BRCC opened as a correctional “camp” for boys in 1962, when persons under 21 were not charged with felony crimes in adult court. In 1972, the law changed and BRCC was converted to an adult male facility. In December of 2003, BRCC was converted to a "military bearing" program, until September of 2014, when its focus changed to a low risk, Earned Release Program.
Programs Offered
BRCC is committed to the use of evidence-based practices in furtherance of the core principles of effective intervention strategies. BRCC’s primary program, the Earned Release Program (ERP), is pursuant to Wisconsin State Statutes, Sec 302.05, and utilizes the core curriculum Cognitive Behavioral Interventions for Substance Abuse. The low-risk program is generally 90-days in length, is abstinence-based, and includes specially structured weekly activities.
All inmates at BRCC are required to fully participate in programming, work-related activities and community service. Inmates also have an opportunity to attend school with individual tutoring as they work towards earning a High School Equivalency Diploma. A major emphasis of ERP is community reentry, involving the inmate’s Division of Community Corrections agent from the first month of the program and with increasing involvement during release planning that addresses aftercare, residence, support services, and employment. Each inmate prepares a release plan that is reviewed by staff. Upon completion of the program, the sentencing court is notified and modifies the sentence to release inmate graduates on Extended Supervision. BRCC also provides a variety of staff and volunteer facilitated support groups.
Community Enhancement
The BRCC Project Crew assists local government agencies and non-profit organizations on a variety of work projects, incorporating a positive work experience, building new skills, and giving back to the community. BRCC inmates also serve as speakers about criminality and substance abuse for various schools, colleges and universities, church groups, and other community agencies and organizations.