As we hope to gear up to raise the age of adult court jurisdiction to 18 in Wisconsin, this issue is attracting national attention as well. A recent item by CNN.com, titled States Rethink ‘Adult Time for Adult Crime’ highlights progress in Illinois and Connecticut as well as discussions going on in New York and North Carolina. Too often it is a tragic incident that finally garners the attention of the public, just as here in Wisconsin the recent arrest of a 13 year-old for allegedly killing his father has raised concerns about Wisconsin’s laws related to original court jurisdiction.
Testimony: End Juvenile Life Without Parole in Wisconsin
Kids Forward supports SB801/AB845, which would eliminate juvenile life without parole. This critical advancement towards a more developmentally appropriate juvenile justice system will reduce and repair harm, decrease racial disparities, increase child and family wellbeing, and increase opportunities for community-based alternatives to incarceration.