House of Correction

COVID-19 Response

The Milwaukee County House of Correction (HOC) believes that communication, collaboration, resilience and innovation are crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 13, 2020, we have been collaborating with our own medical care provider, the county's public health consultants, the Franklin Health Department, Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department and the State Department of Correction Jail inspector to maintain a safe, secure and health environment for staff and residents. Due to the nature of our profession, dormitory living arrangements and the constant resident population turn-over, there is a persistent risk of COVID-19 entering and spreading to people residing and working in the HOC.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19 at the HOC, extensive risk-mitigation measures have been put in place to help keep employees and people in custody safe.

• Preventative Measures
• Mandatory face mask policy for all staff, contractors, volunteers, and visitors in the facility. Cloth face masks are also provided to all residents.
• Strict health screenings for staff, support staff, volunteers and visitors entering the facility including a health questionnaire and temperature checks.
• Worked with the Milwaukee County Court System to significantly reduce resident population and have reduced dormitory occupancy by 35% to promote physical distancing.
• Capability for video court and video visitations to limit unnecessary in-person contact.
• Educational program for residents on how to limit the spread of COVID-19.
• Two Skytron UVC disinfection systems that project UVC light to kill viruses and bacteria. These are the same systems hospitals and other medical facilities use for infection control procedures.
• HVAC enhancements throughout the facility to improve air quality and filtration in line with CDC guidelines.

• Test, Isolation and Quarantine Practices
• Conduct interval testing of staff at least every two weeks to help catch positive cases, especially when the individual may be contagious and asymptomatic individuals.
• On-site rapid COVID-19 tests to get timely test results, particularly for symptomatic individuals.
• 14-day quarantine for dorms with known or suspected exposures to COVID-19 in the dorm population. Before the quarantine ends and people transition to general population, they must pass a health screening that includes symptom questionnaire, temperature reading, blood pressure and pulse oximetry.
• All people without a known case of COVID-19 must pass a health screening and test negative twice before they can be transferred to the HOC. Upon arrival to the HOC, they must also complete a 14-day quarantine.
• Separate isolation housing dorms for residents with an active case of COVID-19 to ensure there is no interaction between positive cases and other residents at HOC. This includes the use of the Alternate Care Facility (ACF) to help keep COVID-19 positive individuals isolate, when needed.
• Improved contact tracing to help contain potential spread when someone tests positive.
• 24/7 health care by our health care provider for residents testing positive, including multiple daily vital checks, pulse oximetry, temperature readings and fluids containing electrolytes for hydration.

Due to precautions regarding COVID-19, some services are limited. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) does not allow the HOC to release or provide medical information on any resident. We appreciate your patience and understanding with this regulation. Find more information regarding COVID-19 statistics here. 

HOC Administration

Superintendent Chantell Jewell

Superintendent Chantell Jewell is a values-based professional with over 25 years of experience serving the community. Ms. Jewell spent most of her career with the Department of Corrections (DOC) where she gained a wide range of knowledge in the criminal justice system, her unique perspective includes community-focused work at Employ Milwaukee, and working with justice-involved youth at the Division of Youth and Family Services. During her time at the DOC, Ms. Jewell served as a youth counselor, probation/parole agent and retired as a correction field supervisor after 20 years of service.

After retiring from the DOC, Ms. Jewell remained driven to serve Milwaukee County, where she calls home. At Employ Milwaukee, Ms. Jewell served as the reentry services manager and at Milwaukee County's Division of Youth and Family Services she served as a deputy administrator. Both of those positions allowed her to continue her commitment to creating long-term change within Milwaukee County and the criminal justice system.

With an undergraduate degree in criminal justice from UW-Milwaukee and a master's degree in business administration from Cardinal Stritch University, Ms. Jewell possesses a deep commitment to her education, as well as to the education of others. Ms. Jewell is a subject matter expert in multiple areas, including: community correctional systems, juvenile correctional systems, and trained evidence-based practices in corrections. With a permanent dedication to teaching and learning, Ms. Jewell is also an adjunct instructor at Concordia University in the criminal justice department.

Ms. Jewell has positively influenced the lives of justice-involved individuals throughout her career. She will implement an integrated approach to best address an individual's barriers to success by making intentional connections through assessment, evaluation and a strong transition plan back to the community, as she works to create a brighter future for individuals after they leave the House of Correction. 

Assistant Superintendent Jose Hernandez

Jose Hernandez began his career with Milwaukee County in February of 1992 as a correctional officer. In the fall of 1995, he was selected as a canine handler and continued to serve the agency in this capacity until June of 2010, at which time he was appointed to the rank of lieutenant and was designated to oversee the detention services bureau canine program in its entirety. Mr. Hernandez was promoted to the rank of captain in October 2011. In June of 2013, he was promoted to the position of assistant superintendent. The promotion to assistant superintendent was focused on inmate programming initiatives, employment opportunities for offenders, Huber and electronic monitoring, and correctional industries.

Mr. Hernandez has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration and is a graduate of the Force Science Institute. He currently serves on the board of directors for God Touch Milwaukee, Zachariah's Acres and Greater Praise Community Development Corporation.

Assistant Superintendent David Rugaber

David Rugaber began his career with Milwaukee County in 1999 when he was hired by the House of Correction as a Corrections Officer. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2007, Lieutenant in 2009 and Captain in 2013. During his duties as a Corrections Officer, he was trained and utilized as a Field Training Officer, Correctional Emergency Response Team and Squad Leader, Principles of Subject Control Instructor as well as in Electronic Monitoring at the Community Correctional Center. In 2011, as a Lieutenant, Mr. Rugaber was appointed as an investigator in the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office Internal Affairs unit. He was the first corrections-based investigator in that agency’s history. In 2013, as a Captain, Mr. Rugaber oversaw the Internal Affairs Unit and the Background Investigators at the HOC and later oversaw the Training Academy.

Mr. Rugaber attended Marquette University on an academic scholarship and has received training and certifications from:

• The Institute for Law Enforcement Administration in Internal Affairs, Professional Standards and Ethics in 2012
• The Leadership Excellence Program conducted by Milwaukee County in 2015
• Internal Affairs and Ethics from the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2016

Visit an Inmate

We use HomeWav for video visitation. To create an account, go to HomeWav.com and set up your profile.

Visiting Hours

Facility Visiting: Sunday and Tuesday: Closed. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Note that there are no in-facility visits on the following holidays: 

Monday, Sept. 2 - Labor Day

Thursday, Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day

Thursday, Nov. 28 - Thanksgiving Day

Friday, Nov. 29 - Day After Thanksgiving

Wednesday, Dec. 25 - Christmas Day

HomeWav visiting from outside the facility is still available on these dates.

HomeWav Visiting From Outside Facility: Sunday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Use our convenient online tool to schedule visits at least 24 hours in advance. You can also schedule a visit in person at the lobby kiosk. You are not able to schedule, reschedule or cancel visits over the phone.

Visits are 30 minutes. Inmates may have one visit per day and four visits per week. Two adults or one adult with two children per visit. The children must be the inmate's children and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Unkept visits will count as a scheduled visit.

Visitation Policies

• No electronic devices (cell phones, tablets, e-readers, MP3 players)
• Appropriate attire (including nothing sleeveless) must be worn 
• No strollers/car seats/diaper bags are allowed in the visiting area
• No food, gum, smoking materials or beverages are allowed in the video visiting area
• Former inmates must wait six months from the date they were released before they are able to visit
• Inmates in disciplinary housing may not have visitors
• All visits are subject to monitoring and recording

Anyone found in violation of this will have their visiting privileges restricted for a minimum of 30 days. Any visitor found to engage in inappropriate behavior or allowing another visitor to use their account, is subject to having their privileges suspended, at the discretion of the Visiting Captain.

Schedule a Visit