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.
Explained: End Juvenile Life Without Parole in Wisconsin
Wisconsin relies far too much on incarceration and blames children for system-wide failures. Instead of incarceration, a better investment for Wisconsin’s youth is in basic needs such as health, housing, and employment. Wisconsin should reimagine a community-based continuum of care grounded in youth voice, emerging adult research, and cross-system collaboration.
