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.
Summary of Governor’s Proposed Budget for Early Education Issues
The events of 2020 made the importance of investing in early education more obvious than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic shined a light on the fact that child care providers are an essential component of our state’s economy. In addition, increased awareness of our...