MILWAUKEE — Criminal justice advocates are criticizing Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley’s decision to suspend instant messaging on tablets at the Community Reintegration Center, warning that the pause could disrupt communication and rehabilitation services for people in custody and their families. Crowley, a Democrat running for governor, halted messaging late last week at the county facility, formerly known as the House of Correction. The move came after weeks of Republican campaign ads attacked his support for tablet access in the Milwaukee County Jail. The jail is overseen by the sheriff’s office, while the reintegration center is under closer control of the county executive and County Board. The ads spotlight cases in which people accused of serious crimes allegedly used jail tablets to contact victims or witnesses. In one case, Thomas Zollicofer, who is accused of killing three people, allegedly sent a witness a message telling them to “stop lying.” Ameir Jones, also accused of homicide, allegedly tried to call a victim more than 1,500 times, with prosecutors saying about 300 calls were answered. The allegations have not been adjudicated in the cases described. Wisconsin Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming said Monday that Crowley had waited too long to end the program and accused him of acting to protect his political prospects. The ads have framed Republican gubernatorial candidate and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany as a defender of crime victims. Milwaukee-based Black Leaders Organizing Communities, which backed Crowley’s return to the governor’s race, said it was disappointed by the suspension. The group cautioned against adopting what it called a Republican narrative that seeks to make incarcerated people “as uncomfortable as possible,” and said tablet messaging currently offers an especially safe way to communicate. Advocates say tablets can help people in custody stay connected to loved ones and access recovery resources, job preparation and parenting classes. Marianne Oleson, co-executive director of Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing, said she worries that legitimate communication will be lost because of the misuse of the technology by some individuals. She also said threats and witness intimidation must be addressed, and facilities and vendors should be held accountable for safeguards. Milwaukee County Jail Director Joshua Briggs has said the jail’s devices are generic tablets, not iPads, and cannot place calls outside the jail or connect to the internet. The devices operate on a vendor-maintained network that includes keyword flagging and other controls. Briggs estimated that 98% of people held at the jail use the tablets responsibly. The political debate has not focused on tablet access across all Wisconsin facilities. Waukesha and Ozaukee counties, both Republican-leaning, also provide tablets to people in their jails. Wisconsin’s Department of Corrections has said it plans to issue ICS tablets to people in adult facilities as a transition moves forward. Roy Rogers, a minister and Wisconsin Justice Initiative board member, said electronic messages help his ministry stay in touch with incarcerated people and can support families as they prepare for a loved one’s return. He said he hopes the Community Reintegration Center’s pause is temporary and that stronger safeguards will allow safe messaging to resume. Oleson called for county officials to set out a clear timeline and explain what protections are needed before access returns. She said decisions about the technology should be guided by safety and evidence, rather than campaign rhetoric, because they affect incarcerated people, their children and other family members.