Protect Children
Every child in Wisconsin, regardless of race or place, deserves a stable foundation and a chance to prosper. Yet, the rich few try to pit our families against each other based on what we look like. By pushing racist narratives, they attempt to distract us as they hoard wealth and funnel money out of our communities and into their pockets. As a result, Wisconsin has become one of the most deeply segregated and inequitable places in the country for young people of color to live.
We need to address the root causes of these inequities and remove the barriers, created by the wealthy few, that hold youth back from living a safe and happy life.
How can decisionmakers start to protect children in Wisconsin?
- Oppose the Department of Corrections’ request to double the daily rate for youth incarceration in Wisconsin’s youth facilities (from $1268 to over $2300 a day).
- End the practice of sentencing juveniles to life without parole.
- Eliminate all youth justice fines and fees.
- “Raise the Minimum Age” of juvenile jurisdiction from 10 to at least 14.
- “Raise the Age” of juvenile jurisdiction from 17 to at least 18.
- Invest in community-based alternatives to incarceration rather than building new youth prisons.
Reclaim. Rebuild. Reimagine.
Join us to unrig the rules that benefit the wealthy few. View our full policy agenda.
Eliminating Fines & Fees for Justice-involved Youth
Learning that your child has gotten in trouble with the law is one of the most difficult and stressful times in a parent or guardian’s life. But in Wisconsin, courts can make matters worse by charging families thousands of dollars, sometimes even garnishing tax returns or wages if families can’t pay.
Not only does this contribute to the cycle of poverty and racial inequity, it also increases chances of recidivism and the cycle of incarceration for these youth. With the Wisconsin Debt Free Justice Coalition, we are working to eliminate the fines and fees that stretch families beyond their means during an already difficult time.
Wisconsin Debt Free Justice Coalition Members include ACLU of Wisconsin, National Center for Youth Law, Juvenile Law Center and Kids Forward.
Raise the Age
Every child in Wisconsin deserves the opportunity for rehabilitation, restoration, cognitive development support, and mental health services. Yet, Wisconsin is one of just three remaining states that still charges all 17-year-olds as adults in our justice system – no matter the alleged offense. When we force children into prisons with adults, they’re significantly more likely to become victims of abuse, and much less likely to receive the mental health support they need, becoming more prone to recidivate.
Wisconsin can do better than this.
While significant youth justice reform is needed, we can start by raising the age at which youth are treated as adults from 17 to at least 18. Kids Forward is calling on lawmakers in Wisconsin to Raise the Age from 17 to at least 18. Find your legislator and ask them to raise the age at which young people are treated as adults from 17 to at least 18. Learn more about the coalition below, or contact us to learn more.
Supporting Dreamers
In 2012, President Obama signed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) into law. This temporarily shielded some immigrant children brought to the US before the age of 16—also known as Dreamers—from deportation and changed their lives. In Wisconsin, there are more than 5,000 DACA recipients (as of June 2024) and about 10,000 people who are eligible.
But, DACA only provides two-year renewable protection with temporary work authorization, not a path to citizenship. Unfortunately as a result, too many young people continue to live with fear and uncertainty while DACA remains under attack in courts and Congress. Kids Forward advocates for the protection of all immigrant families, including Dreamers and DACA recipients through contextualizing research and analysis.
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