Author: Boggs, Breann
Title: Treatment of Juveniles in the Wisconsin Criminal Court System: An Analysis of Potential Alternatives
Summary: The 1995 reforms to the juvenile justice code increased the number of juveniles prosecuted in adult criminal court. The policy change transferred all 17-year-olds to adult criminal court jurisdiction. Judicial waiver, which allows the juvenile court to transfer a case to adult court, was expanded to include 14-year-olds. Juveniles prosecuted in adult court face adult criminal penalties. Juvenile correctional facilities offer educational programming and a variety of ageappropriate treatment options. Juveniles in the adult system miss out on these resources. A 2008 Legislative Audit Bureau report shows higher rates of recidivism among younger offenders placed into the adult correctional system. Recidivism rates among 17-year-old defendants in Wisconsin are estimated to be as high as 48 percent, three times higher than for adult offenders or younger juveniles in the juvenile system. The Wisconsin Joint Legislative Council requested an analysis of the juvenile justice process in Wisconsin and examination of current practices in other states. This report evaluates the status quo policy and two categories of alternative policies: waiver laws and blended sentencing. Time constraints prevented the development of a more formal analysis of recidivism rates among these alternatives; however, we conclude that the current system fails to meet the particular treatment needs of younger offenders and that this failure likely contributes to the high recidivism rate among this population. We encourage the Joint Legislative Council to re-examine the 1995 reforms and request a comprehensive audit of the treatment of juveniles in the Wisconsin correctional system that would assess the effectiveness of treatment options available to younger offenders in the juvenile and adult correctional systems.
Details: Madison, WI: Robert M. La Follette School of Public Affairs, University of Wisconsin Madison, 2008. 31p.
Source: Internet Resource; Prepared for the Wisconsin Joint Legislative Council
Year: 2008
Country: United States
URL:
Shelf Number: 119519
Keywords:
Juvenile Court Transfers (Wisconsin)Juvenile Offenders (Wisconsin)Recidivism |
