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Justice for Wisconsin Youth

All kids deserve fair treatment in court. WCCF seeks to ensure that kids are treated through the juvenile court so their developmental needs can be better accounted for throughout the court and rehabilitative process. In the past decade, about 1800 juveniles have been admitted to adult prisons, and between 2002 and 2004 over 18,500 17-year-olds were processed through the adult jails.

Research shows that providing developmentally appropriate treatment significantly reduces future criminal activity.  Incarcerating youth with adults increases the likelihood they will re-offend more quickly and more seriously. 
The best way to reduce the risk of future crime is to provide kids early interventions and developmentally appropriate treatment which will allow growth and inhibit further criminal acts. While rehabilitative services are mandatory in juvenile settings, children in adult settings can languish with few, if any services.

It is about fairness, too.  Seventeen-year-olds are too young to vote, drink, smoke or enlist in the army – we shouldn’t allow them to be in adult prisons or jails, either.

Brain development research holds the key.  Scientists have confirmed what we have always known: Kids are Different.  By applying what we know about adolescents to the treatment of juveniles in the justice system, we can provide more effective treatment.  By providing more effective treatment, we can increase community safety while improving the chances for high-risk youth.

Recent News Governor’s Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities in the Justice System recommends returning 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system.  Click to read WCCF’s statement and to view the full report. WCCF testified at the Governor’s Commission on Reducing Racial Disparities on July 24, 2007.  Click to view WCCF testimony and the Wisconsin State Journal's coverage of WCCF’s testimony. WCCF is collecting names of people and organizations who want to return 17-year-olds to the juvenile court system.  For more details and to add your name to the list, click here. On March 8, 2007, the Joint Legislative Audit Committee recommended unanimously an audit on the effects of criminal court jurisdiction on all Wisconsin 17-year-olds. View WCCF testimony and WCCF press release on this exciting development for juvenile justice!

Project Goals

17-year-olds should be returned to the original jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court
The Council is working hard on returning 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system.  To find out our main supporters in this effort, read "Returning 17-Year-Olds to Juvenile Court."

The Juvenile Justice Code should be revised such that the juvenile court has presumptive jurisdiction over all youth under 18 years old, and only a juvenile court judge can waive that jurisdiction.

Children under 18 should not be placed in adult prisons or jails.
 

WisKids Fact

Between the years of 1997 and 2003, all types of juvenile arrests went down (status arrest, violent crime arrests and overall arrests) except drug arrests which increased from 1997 to 2000 and then went down in 2003.
 

Project Staff

Wendy Henderson: Policy Analyst contact