301.36(1)(1) General authority. The department shall investigate and supervise all of the state prisons under s. 302.01, all juvenile correctional facilities, all secured residential care centers for children and youth, and all juvenile detention facilities and familiarize itself with all of the circumstances affecting their management and usefulness.

301.36(2) (2) Prisons. The department shall visit all places in which persons convicted or suspected of crime are confined, and ascertain their arrangement for the separation of the hardened criminals from juvenile offenders and persons suspected of crime or detained as witnesses; collect statistics concerning the inmates, their treatment, employment and reformation; and collect information of other facts and considerations affecting the increase or decrease of crime.

301.36(3) (3) Inspections. The department shall inquire into the methods of treatment, instruction, government and management of inmates of the institutions mentioned in this section; the conduct of their trustees, managers, directors, superintendents and other officers and employees; the condition of the buildings, grounds and all other property pertaining to the institutions, and all other matters pertaining to their usefulness and management; and recommend to the officers in charge such changes and additional provisions as it deems proper.

301.36(4) (4) Frequency of inspections. The department shall inspect and investigate each institution at least annually and, when directed by the governor, it shall conduct a special investigation into an institution's management, or anything connected with its management, and report to the governor the testimony taken, the facts found and conclusions drawn.

301.36(5) (5) Enforcement by attorney general and district attorneys. Upon request of the department, the attorney general or the district attorney serving the proper county shall aid in any investigation, inspection, hearing or trial had under this chapter or those sections of ch. 938 relating to powers of the department, and shall institute and prosecute all necessary actions or proceedings for the enforcement of those provisions and for the punishment of violations of those provisions. The attorney general or district attorney so requested shall report or confer with the department regarding the request, within 30 days after receipt of the request.

301.36(6) (6) Opportunity to inspect. All trustees, managers, directors, superintendents and other officers or employees of the institutions shall at all times afford to every member of the department and its agents, unrestrained facility for inspection of and free access to all parts of the buildings and grounds and to all books and papers of the institutions; and shall give, either verbally or in writing, such information as the department requires. Any person who violates this subsection shall forfeit not less than $10 nor more than $100.

301.36(7) (7) Testimonial power; expenses. The director or any person delegated by the director may administer oaths, take testimony and cause depositions to be taken. All expenses of the investigations, including fees of officers and witnesses, shall be charged to the appropriation for the department.

301.36(8) (8) Statistics to be furnished. Wherever the department is required to collect statistics, the person or agency shall furnish the required statistics on request.

301.37(1)(1) The department shall fix reasonable standards and regulations for the design, construction, repair, and maintenance of all houses of correction, reforestation camps maintained under s. 303.07, jails, as defined in s. 302.30, extensions of jails under s. 59.54 (14) (g), rehabilitation facilities under s. 59.53 (8), lockup facilities, as defined in s. 302.30, work camps under s. 303.10, Huber facilities under s. 303.09, and, after consulting with the department of health and family services, all juvenile detention facilities, with respect to their adequacy and fitness for the needs which they are to serve.

301.37(2) (2) The selection and purchase of the site, and the plans, specifications and erection of buildings, for the institutions is subject to the review and approval of the department. Department review shall include review of the proposed program to be carried out by the institution.

301.37(3) (3) Before any such building is occupied, and at least annually thereafter, the department shall inspect each institution with respect to safety, sanitation, adequacy and fitness, report to the authorities conducting the institution any deficiency found and order the necessary work to correct it or a new building. If within 6 months thereafter the work is not commenced, or not completed within a reasonable period thereafter, to the satisfaction of the department, the department shall suspend the allowance of state aid for, and prohibit the use of, the building until the order is complied with.

301.37(4) (4) The department's standards and regulations under sub. (1) for county jails apply to tribal jails used under s. 302.445. At least annually, the department shall inspect each such tribal jail with respect to safety, sanitation, adequacy and fitness, report to the sheriff and the tribal jail authorities regarding any deficiency found and order the necessary work to correct it. If within 6 months thereafter the work is not commenced, or not completed within a reasonable period thereafter to the satisfaction of the department, the department shall prohibit the use of the tribal jail for purposes of s. 302.445 until the order is complied with.

301.37(5) (5) The department's standards and regulations under sub. (1) for juvenile detention facilities apply to private juvenile detention facilities used under s. 938.222. At least annually, the department shall inspect each such private juvenile detention facility with respect to safety, sanitation, adequacy, and fitness, report to the county board and the private entity operating the private juvenile detention facility regarding any deficiency found and order the necessary work to correct it. If within 6 months thereafter the work is not commenced, or not completed within a reasonable period thereafter to the satisfaction of the department, the department shall prohibit the use of the private juvenile detention facility for purposes of s. 938.222 until the order is complied with.

301.38(1)(1) In this section:

301.38(1)(am) (am) "Prisoner" has the meaning given in s. 301.01 (2), but does not include any person in the intensive sanctions program under s. 301.048 or any person who is imprisoned as an alternative to the revocation of probation, extended supervision or parole.

301.38(2) (2) If a prisoner escapes from a Type 1 prison, the department shall make a reasonable attempt to notify all of the following persons, if they can be found, in accordance with sub. (3) and after receiving a completed card under sub. (4):

301.38(2)(a) (a) The victim of the crime committed by the prisoner or, if the victim died as a result of the crime, an adult member of the victim's family or, if the victim is younger than 18 years old, the victim's parent or legal guardian.

301.38(3) (3) The department shall make a reasonable effort to notify the person by telephone as soon as possible after the escape and after any subsequent apprehension of the prisoner.

301.38(4) (4) The department shall design and prepare cards for any person specified in sub. (2) to send to the department. The cards shall have space for any such person to provide his or her name, telephone number and mailing address, the name of the applicable prisoner and any other information that the department determines is necessary. The department shall provide the cards, without charge, to district attorneys. District attorneys shall provide the cards, without charge, to persons specified in sub. (2). These persons may send completed cards to the department. All department records or portions of records that relate to telephone numbers and mailing addresses of these persons are not subject to inspection or copying under s. 19.35 (1).