Health concerns created by the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a massive push to keep youth out of restrictive, secure facilities. The pandemic’s unique constraints fostered creativity and forced leaders to seek new practices within the youth justice system. Further, a report released by Youth Justice Wisconsin found that the number of youth referrals across Wisconsin dropped by half during COVID-19. This reduction in referrals resulted in part from the need to close or severely limit placement of youth in facilities, the administrative capacity of county and state agencies, and school closures. In examining how youth justice practices may have changed during the pandemic, this study contributes to a nationwide conversation on how to divert youth from the youth justice system and shrink the current youth justice population permanently.
Inaccessible and Unaffordable Child Care Pushes Wisconsin Families to the Breaking Point
Wisconsin’s lack of accessible child care short-changes children and makes getting to work for parents difficult, while those who can find care struggle to pay for it. This costs the economy billions of dollars a year and holds women back professionally, especially women of color.
