Here's what you need to know about the Waupun prison lockdown, now in its eighth month

Waupun Correction Institution, one of five maximum-security prisons in Wisconsin, has been under a lockdown for most of this year.

The lockdown, or what prison officials call a "state of modified movement," began in March. Since then, three prisoners have died and a handful of prisoners have filed a federal lawsuit over conditions inside the facility.

Officials began easing some restrictions in recent weeks, but in-person visits have not resumed, said Kevin Hoffman, Wisconsin Department of Corrections spokesman.

Here's what to know about the situation in Waupun:

Prison officials have not explained exactly why the lockdown started

The prison went into lockdown on March 29. At the time, officials said the decision came in response "to some of the institution population breaking rules that are in place to assure everyone’s safety.”

It’s unclear if it was one specific incident or a series of incidents, but about a half a dozen prisoners, their family members, and a correctional officer told the Journal Sentinel that death threats occurred as well as assaultive behavior on prison staff.

The DOC has not responded to a records request for staff assaults that prompted the lockdown.

According to recent DOC data, Waupun has experienced a rise in staff assaults this year.

More: Gov. Tony Evers says he hasn't visited lockdown-plagued state prisons recently

What a lockdown means: No visitors and nearly all time spent inside a cell

During a lockdown, prisoners often are locked in their cells and have little to no communal or recreation time.

In a sign of the lockdown easing, Hoffman, the agency spokesman, said the number of prisoners working in food service, metal stamping and laundry areas has tripled in recent weeks.

"We continue to increase participation in activities whenever possible, which would result in more time out of cells," he said.

Limited access to hygiene facilities and unsanitary conditions

During the lockdown, prisoners have some access to phone and email, despite no in-person visits.

Other restrictions remain however. For example, prisoners have been permitted to shower only once per week.

Prisoners have told their family members and reporters about unsanitary conditions inside the cells, including human waste, rats and bats. Others say the meals are not sufficient.

Officials say prisoners are receiving three meals a day and can order from the canteen menu, which gets delivered once a week.

A lawsuit alleges poor medical treatment, decline in prisoners' health

A class action lawsuit filed last week alleges the lockdown has resulted in a decline in the physical and mental health of prisoners and that the conditions violate prisoners' constitutional rights, protecting them from cruel and unusual punishment.

Prisoners say staff have failed to provide proper health care. Dental care, for instance, has an 18-month waiting list.

One prisoner with gastrointestinal health conditions had his medical-ordered meals canceled, the suit says. Another prisoner alleged finding rat feces in his meal.

Several other prisoners reported developing infections after they did not receive medical treatment and that they were denied medications and health care services because of the ongoing lockdown, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit is seeking an unspecified amount in damages and changes to prison policies on staffing, health care, emergency response, medication, conditions and more.

Hoffman declined to comment on the pending litigation.

One confirmed suicide and two other prisoner deaths reported during lockdown

Three people have died inside the prison in the last four months.

One death was a suicide. The other two remain under investigation with no determination on the cause or manner of death.

Dean Hoffmann, 60, died by suicide while in solitary confinement in June. His family and their attorney, Lonnie Story, have questioned whether Hoffmann received proper medical treatment and resources for his diagnosed bipolar disorder and reported suicidal ideation.

Tyshun Lemons, 30, died at Waupun in early October and a third person died inside the prison earlier this week. Officials have not yet released the prisoner's name or provided further information as of Thursday.

There also have been reports of prisoners attempting suicide or other acts of self-harm.

Waupun is overcrowded and under-staffed

More than half of the staff positions at Waupun are unfilled, while the prison is housing 120 more people than its 882-person capacity.

Lack of staffing is a problem across Wisconsin's prison system. The entire state has a 32% vacancy rate. At Waupun, it's a 53% vacancy rate.

To try to address this problem, the Department of Corrections rotates a group of two dozen correction officers from elsewhere in the state to Waupun in two-week shifts.

Who is incarcerated at Waupun?

Many of Wisconsin's most serious offenders are housed at Waupun.

At least 90% of the prison's population has been convicted of a violent offense.

These prisoners are serving lengthy sentences, with nearly 20% having been sentenced to life in prison, according to the latest data available.

Nearly 60% of inmates are Black, roughly 36% are white and a little more than 11% are Hispanic, according to the Department of Corrections.

More than 75% have a high school education or lower, and about 62% have a mental health diagnosis.

Waupun opened in 1851, three years after Wisconsin became a state

Waupun is the oldest prison in the state.

Originally named the Wisconsin State Prison, the facility has no air conditioning in cell halls, though corrections officials say other renovations and improvements have been made in recent years.

In 1983, dozens of prisoners took control of parts of Waupun and held staff hostage. None of the hostages were injured in the daylong takeover. The lockdown following the riot lasted just four days.

Drake Bentley can be reached at DBentley1@gannett.com or 414-391-5647.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Here's what you need to know about the Waupun prison lockdown