Section 301.001. Purposes of chapters.

  The purposes of this chapter and chs. 302 to 304 are to prevent delinquency and crime by an attack on their causes; to provide a just, humane and efficient program of rehabilitation of offenders; and to coordinate and integrate corrections programs with other social services. In creating the department of corrections, chs. 301 to 304 , the legislature intends that the state continue to avoid sole reliance on incarceration of offenders and continue to develop, support and maintain professional community programs and placements.

The department must follow its own rules. It is not harmless error for an agency to disobey its own procedural regulations. State ex rel. Anderson-El v. Cooke, 2000 WI 40 , 234 Wis. 2d 626 , 610 N.W.2d 821 , 98-0715 .