Take note that National Crime Victim’s Rights Week is coming up next week. While WCCF normally is focusing on offenders, we also know that the “gap” between many youth being offenders and victims isn’t always great – many of them have been victims of/exposed to domestic violence, abuse, and other trauma that has impacted their lives. In addition, those of us advocating for developmentally appropriate interventions for youthful offenders need to recognize, as do the offenders themselves, how their behavior can impact those around them – sometimes as a start to helping them earn their way back into their communities.
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.
