Superintendent Chantell Jewell Seeks Rehabilitation at the House of Correction

BY TOM JENZ

Photo by Tom Jenz.

Does the public know what goes on at the Milwaukee County House of Correction? According to Superintendent Chantell Jewell, “People often have a misperception of what happens here.” In other words, it’s more than incarceration. It’s about rehabilitation.

Located in Franklin, the House of Correction is a city block constructed of cement and steel. Off to one side looms a tall chain link fence with razor wire in place of the old wooden corral next to the friendly farmhouse.

After going through the careful checkin process, I met Jewell in her office, and we settled around a conference table. County Executive David Crowley appointed her to this position in November 2020 after she had served 25 years in the criminal justice system.

Tell me about your early background, your parents, where you grew up and schools you attended. You are a Milwaukee native, right?

I was born and raised in the central city in the Lapham Park low-income housing project on Eighth and Brown, mostly Black residents. I was an only child raised by a single mom. She worked in medical records at Children’s Hospital until she retired.

I also got a lot of guidance from my extended family, my grandmother, aunts and uncles. I attended St. Leo Elementary School on 24th and Locust, then Samuel Morris Middle School for the Gifted and Talented, and then Riverside University High School on Locust. Graduated in 1989. At 16, I became a teen mother. My mom and grandmother helped me raise my daughter. Their support allowed me to continue my education. I went to Marquette University for a few years, but I graduated from UW-Milwaukee, majoring in criminal justice. I later got my master’s degree in business administration from Cardinal Stritch University.

Take me through your career path, the various jobs you held and finally how you became the Superintendent of Milwaukee County House of Correction.

Growing up in the inner city, I was aware that the residents really didn’t have a positive perception of law enforcement. I’d hear a lot of people talking about their probation officers. So many people I knew in the community were tied to the criminal justice system. I figured if I ever went through that system, I’d go through the front door, not the back door. In college, I was attracted to the criminology and psychology courses. I wanted to understand our criminal justice system where a lot of people that looked like me were involved.

Before I graduated from college, I got a job in the State Department of Corrections. I worked full time as a youth counselor for two years at Ethan Allen Boys School. My job was monitoring young men in a correctional facility who had been adjudicated delinquent, sometimes as many as 50 residents. In 1998, I was promoted as a probation and parole agent in the Milwaukee region. Did that for seven years and managed a very large caseload of people who were on probation/parole for crimes they had committed. I also became an absconder agent, meaning alone or with a police officer, I’d apprehend criminals who had violated parole.

In 2005, I was promoted to corrections field supervisor in charge of a unit of probation and parole agents. I worked on a lot of diversity initiatives, cochaired the Regional Diversity Committee and the Crime Victims Committee. I’ve always been concerned about equality, equity and the well-being of people in my community. I still live in the inner city. In 2016, I retired from the State Department of Corrections.

But after you retired, I think you still kept working in your field.

Yes, I took a job as the reentry program manager with EMPLOY Milwaukee because I understood the significance of employment in preventing recidivism. My job was to integrate Corrections and Workforce, creating non-traditional partnerships to help meet the employment needs of returning justice-involved individuals.

What exactly is Employ Milwaukee?

Employ Milwaukee is the largest Workforce Board in Wisconsin. It is responsible for the coordination, monitoring and development of workforce initiatives in Milwaukee County.

If I was incarcerated at the House of Correction, did my time and got out, and I wanted a job, would I go to Employ Milwaukee to help me with that process?

Yes, that is one place you might go. Here at the House of Correction, I also have a Workforce Navigator from Employ Milwaukee. These staff members assess the needs of residents and connect them to possible resources to find employment. This usually happens 90 days prior to release. With my experience, I know what support is necessary for a resident to be successful and not re-engage the criminal justice system.

I also have a staff housing navigator from the Department of Health and Human Services to help find housing for a released resident. And I have a mental health case manager. We are trying to address the needs of our residents, whether educational, mental health, or vocational issues. Marquette University enrolled some of our residents through their Educational Preparedness Program and have classes here on site. This is an amazing opportunity. We also have a partnership with Chase Bank. A bank VP educates residents on financial literacy since we know a lot of crimes are motivated by money. Knowledge is power and providing these types of resources will help reduce recidivism. I don’t believe the House of Correction should be a punitive place. Residents have already been punished through their court sentences. Our job is to see that people leave here in a better position than when they came. Ultimately, the overall goal is to create community safety.

At the House of Correction, how long is the average stay for a resident who has committed a crime?

The average stay for those who have been sentenced is 90 to 120 days. For those who have not been sentenced, their stay might be longer. We are opening a family engagement center where residents can interact with their children and family in person. Right now, we only have video visits. If you think about it, family members generally have the most influence. When someone is incarcerated, that person’s family members also suffer. Family distress can also be a driver of recidivism or repeat criminal behavior.

Since I became superintendent, I made sure that we don’t describe criminals as “offenders.” We refer to them as residents. The word “offenders” marks them as something they’ve done versus what we hope to see when they rehabilitate. The word “offender” has a negative connotation. It is really all about creating an environment of mutual respect which further promotes safety and security.

Jeff Schwarz is a veteran Milwaukee Public Defender. He often defends clients on felony charges. He told me, “In Wisconsin, there are two state mental institutions, Mendota in Madison and Winnebago in Oshkosh. If a client is found mentally incompetent or not guilty by reason of mental disease, they have to wait in the local jail until there is an opening in a state institution. The jails are filled with people who are mentally ill, but the state institutions are full. That is unfortunate.” He was referring to county jail on Ninth Street, but you and I are now sitting in your larger building in Franklin. What is the difference between the two facilities?

The Downtown jail is run by the county sheriff, and our House of Correction is overseen by the county executive, David Crowley, who appointed me. The county jail houses residents with the most serious mental issues. But 60% of our own residents here have a mental health diagnosis, and 18% take medication. We created a resident support unit, a dorm for the residents who struggled in the general population because of mental health conditions. They are supervised by about 25 correction officers with crisis intervention training. We also have mental health professionals and a case manager assigned to that team.

What would you say is the most challenging part of your job?

Staffing is a major issue. Industry wide, these jobs are not as desirable as they once were. The correction officer’s role is challenging because they are responsible for care, custody and control of our residents. It can be stressful. A correction officer in our facility is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure dormitory full of residents, and that means from 40 on up to 60 people. You may have to respond to medical emergencies, a fight, monitor resident interactions, while also serving as a role model. You are not always being treated the best by the residents that you are trying to help. Another challenge is balancing the perception of what the HOC really is and what was designed for. Incarceration is only one part of the response to community safety. We also have to ensure that we have resources to help rehabilitate residents. Our goal is to create safer communities and create less victims.

What types of crimes are the residents in for?

The common offenses that individuals are sentenced to the HOC include but aren’t limited to domestic violence related offenses, bail jumping, disorderly conduct, possession of a firearm by a felon and battery.

Are there racial disparities in the Correction system?

Yes. People of color are over-represented in the criminal justice system. Milwaukee County has one of the highest per capita incarceration rates for Black men in the country.

At the time of my visit, the total population in the House of Correction was 664 residents. Ninety percent of residents were male, 10% female. Sixty-five percent were Black, 20% white, 13% Hispanic, 1% Asian and less than 1% American Indian. The youngest residents are 18.

Tom Jenz writes the Central City Stories column for shepherdexpress.com.