Differences in the number of institutions in a state's system, the population of each institution, security needs, facility design, and the number and types of programs offered make cost comparisons among states extremely difficult to interpret. Nevertheless, the largest single factor in corrections costs is staffing, and some limited data are available to compare staffing costs. Entry-level salaries for Wisconsin correctional officers are below both the averages for midwestern states and the national average. This difference is equal to 4 percent of Wisconsin's security staff, or 121 officers. However, it does not take into account potential differences among the states that would affect staffing decisions, such as building design and the level of security at the institutions being compared.
Costs also vary considerably among institutions within Wisconsin.
We were not able to analyze other factors affecting cost differences among Wisconsin correctional facilities because the Department has not standardized reporting and record-keeping requirements, and individual facilities define and report their operating costs differently. For example, while all facilities provide rehabilitation programs, only four report those costs separately. Consequently, while the Department annually reports costs by facility, its facility cost data cannot be used to evaluate cost differences or the efficiency of individual facilities, or to determine the areas of expenditure that are increasing the fastest. This report includes recommendations for the Department to standardize financial reporting requirements for individual facilities so that costs and potential efficiencies can be better analyzed. As incarceration costs have increased, corrections officials in Wisconsin and nationally have looked to privatization of services as one way of controlling or reducing costs.