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Justice for Wisconsin Youth Publications, Testimony,
Presentations, Past Conference Materials/Resources and Detention Data

Juvenile Justice Publications
Juvenile Justice Testimony
Juvenile Justice Presentations
Juvenile Justice and Detention Data
Juvenile Justice Past Conference Materials/Resources

PUBLICATIONS

How much does it cost for juvenile delinquency services in Wisconsin?  Wisconsin 2011 Act 32 required the Department of Corrections to gather information about juvenile justice services from around the state and compile into a report to the legislature.  With help from the counties, that information has been compiled in a report to the legislature released in early July.  The report, simply titled 2010 State and County Juvenile Justice Services, provides information on both state and county-level expenditures related to juvenile justice.  WCCF has created a Juvenile Justice Expenditures Snapshot of the key fiscal data, illustrating changes in funding, changes in the number of youth served, and that state Youth Aids funds account for less than one-half of juvenile justice related expenditures. 

The State of Juvenile Justice in Wisconsin: What Do We Really Know? Check out this just-released report that highlights the steady decline of juvenile arrests, youth waived to adult court, youth placed in correctional institutions, and youth placed in temporary detention centers over the past decade and includes policy recommendations going forward, including returning 17-year olds to the juvenile system and reinvesting savings in proven prevention and intervention strategies (October 2011). Also see WCCF press release.

WisKids Count Data Snapshots on Juvenile Justice Trends in Select Counties. These snapshots are a follow up to the state data posted last year, and it includes juvenile arrest information through 2010 – which will be updated when 2011 data is available. We continue to be concerned about racial disparities, and where that information is available it also is included.  Counties continue to make strides in reducing correctional placements while at the same time lowering arrest numbers.

Do you want six simple reasons why jurisdiction over 17 year-old offenders should be changed back to juvenile court?  Then check out this short and simple Policy Brief, Returning 17-year-olds to the Juvenile Justice system: A Smart Choice for our Communities and our Youth,  which you can use to help inform others that in terms of a cost-benefit to the state, reducing victimization and recidivism, and redirecting 17 year-old offenders, there is only one logical decision.   

Juvenile Justice professionals historically have overlooked some of the organic factors that are linked to delinquency and a host of other risk behaviors in adolescents.  One of those factors that we now know has had and can pose significant harm to children, and ultimately teens, is exposure to lead poisoning – that found in paint in older homes, toys that include lead in the paint, and other contaminant sources.  The Council has just posted a Policy Brief titled Lead Poisoning and Juvenile Delinquency which provides some basic information and links to where juvenile justice, child welfare, and early education professionals can go to learn more about how to prevent another generation of at-risk kids experiencing the same risk.  We’ve come to accept that childhood brain development plays a big role in the subsequent behavior of teens, and exposure to lead poisoning can reduce IQ, reduce a child’s attention span, slow health body growth and development, and increase the risk of aggressive behavior(s) (November 2009).

Reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act - A Big Step Forward. You may recall that Senator Kohl co-sponsored the introduction of the re-authorized Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act in March as Senate Bill 678. Senate action on this bill is still pending, but the bill reaffirms the federal commitment to sound practices in juvenile justice and provides greater direction to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in assisting states to achieve its goals. Check out Reauthorizing the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act - A Big Step Forward to learn more about what reauthorization could mean for Wisconsin (July 2009).

The Adam Walsh Act and Wisconsin: One-Size-Fits-All Registration Does Not Fit Everyone. This report provides a brief update of the Adam Walsh Act and the SORNA guidelines that have been adopted to date as well as some information about how those guidelines could impact youth in Wisconsin who have been adjudicated delinquent for a sexual offense.  The research is clear that juveniles who offend sexually are much different than adult perpetrators and should be treated differently (Summer 2009).

Risking Their Futures: Why trying nonviolent 17-year-olds as adults is bad policy for Wisconsin.  WCCF analyzed 1,000 17-year olds for over six years to track their recidivism rates after an adult conviction.  Overall 70 percent of the youth committed new crimes, and 80 percent of the youth who were jailed committed new crimes (August 2008).

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 Wiscosnin State Journal reports, “Second Thoughts on Adult Court for Violent Kids: States Respond to Research that Adult Court Makes Them Worse Off,”  Sunday, (December 2, 2007).

"Rethinking the Juvenile in Juvenile Justice," a WCCF publication about the intersection between brain research and juvenile justice (March 2006).
See Full Text or Executive Summary...

Children and the Trickle Down Economy, an essay by WCCF Board member Joseph R. Wall.

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TESTIMONY

Testimony Regarding SB214/AB584 that require law enforcement to take DNA samples at the time of felony arrest and some selected misdemeanors for adults as well as samples for juveniles arrested for certain sex offenses. WCCF Deputy Director Jim Moeser (March 1, 2012).

Statement in Support of SB304, Creating a Uniform Collateral Consequences of Conviction Act. WCCF Deputy Director Jim Moeser (February 20, 2012).

WCCF testified to the Assembly Committee on Corrections and Courts on April 1, 2010 in support of AB732.  The testimony focuses on six critical reasons why the only sound public policy decision that can be made is to return 17 year-olds to the juvenile system.  In addition to a number of state organizations testifying in support of the bill, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) also issued a release in support of the WCCF position.

WCCF testified at the Legislative Audit Bureau on April 10, 2008.  We focused on the deficiencies of programming in the adult system, as well as the funding needed to return 17-year-olds.  Here is our testimony.

WCCF testified in favor of restricting cell phone use by new teenage drivers.  See AB464_cell_phone_adolescent_drivers_081607.

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 testimony against AB249 at the hearing on May 3, 2007.

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 the WCCF press release on this exciting development for juvenile justice; and view the full report.

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PRESENTATIONS

WCCF regularly provides presentations on issues related to juvenile justice, particularly related to issues related to the age of jurisdiction. Presentations have included larger groups such as the Annual Criminal Defense Conference and the State Prosecutor’s Conference, smaller group presentations such as the Milwaukee Criminal Justice Coordinator Council, Dane County DMC Conference, the Wisconsin Juvenile Court Intake Association, Wisconsin Juvenile Detention Association, the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Commission, and national presentations to the National Juvenile Justice Network and the JustGeorgia advocacy summit. If you are interested in a presentation on juvenile justice related issues, please contact Jim Moeser.

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PAST WCCF JUVENILE JUSTICE CONFERENCE MATERIALS
AND RESOURCES

Fulfilling the Promise of Juvenile Justice, March 30-31, 2010

JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DETENTION DATA

The Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, with assistance from the Office of Justice Assistance, is analyzing data from all secure juvenile detention facilities throughout Wisconsin. Our quarterly reports will provide a brief overview of the underlying offenses, racial classifications and numbers of admissions statewide for each time frame. Additional pieces of information about the average length of stay, age and gender are also included.

Specific facilities are highlighted in the reports as well, according to a few key measures. WCCF examined which facilities held the highest percentage of status offenses, person offenses, and minority populations. Further specifics about the range of length of stay, property crimes percentages and percentages of girls are presented as well.

For more information on our methodology please read the Detention Report Methodology and Explanation sheet. Please check back later for the next quarter’s report. Currently available reports summarize the first and second halves of 2008, as well as 2008 as a full year. The first quarter of 2009 will be available soon, and subsequent reports will be based on quarterly time periods.

Juvenile Justice Data – Juvenile Petition and Arrest Trends
Juvenile Justice Data – Selected 17 Year Old Arrest Data 2006-2008

Detention Report - End of Year - 2011

Detention Report - Full Year - 2010
Detention Report - First Quarter of 2010

Detention Report - End of 2009
Detention Report - Second Half of 2009
Detention Report - Second Quarter of 2009
Detention Report - First Quarter of 2009

Detention Report - End of 2008
Detention Report - Second Half of 2008
Detention Report - First Half of 2008


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