More Wisconsinites are behind bars for intoxicated driving

In 2025, the number of adults in Wisconsin prisons for drunk driving and other Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) offenses was four times higher than in 2000, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report. The report highlights racial disparities, with Black and American Indian/Alaska Native Wisconsinites overrepresented in OWI incarcerations, and notes increased incarceration for repeat offenses due to court backlogs and policy changes.