On behalf of members of the Raise the Age Coalition in Wisconsin, I am here to speak with you about the desperate need for youth justice reform in our state. Over two dozen nonprofit and advocacy organizations have united to create the Coalition, and members of the Coalition are first working to bring all 17-year-olds back to their rightful place in the youth justice system. As one of the three remaining states that still charges all 17-year-olds as adults – no matter what they do – Wisconsin has failed to acknowledge what 47 other states already know; that raising the age lowers recidivism rates, responds to often neglected mental health concerns and cognitive development research, provides a restorative and rehabilitative lens to youth justice, and begins to address racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Today’s neurological research clearly recognizes that children are vastly different from adults and demonstrates that our brains are not fully developed until a person’s mid-twenties. Despite efforts to educate legislators, and years of advocating for systemic change, Wisconsin continues to lag behind. Funds are directed towards youth prisons rather than investing more in the things that would actually help prevent abuse, neglect and delinquency from occurring – things like proper supports in public education, sufficient mental health resources, housing, and services that support basic needs, that would help heal communities riddled with poverty and violence.

Whether you live in Racine or Rhinelander, we can all agree that Wisconsin should properly care for our state’s young people and equip them for a healthy, successful life. 

We know that 4 out of 5 young people who end up in our youth justice system have had contact with the child welfare system first. This means that they are residing in homes where families are struggling, at minimum, and likely means that they have endured some form of abuse or neglect.

We know that 72% of incarcerated youth struggle with a mental health challenge. This means they are in need of treatment, not punishment.

We know that youth incarcerated with adults are 34% more likely to commit future crimes than youth served in settings designed to meet their unique needs, yet we continue to charge all 17-year-olds as adults.

And we know that Wisconsin has the second highest black-white incarceration disparity in the country. While this disparity needs to be addressed at all levels of the system, reforming how we treat the youngest people in our criminal justice system can have compounding effects in reducing racial disparities across the board.

The good news is that together, we can fix all of this.

Now is the time for Wisconsinites to demonstrate that we value our young people.

Now is the time for Wisconsin to take responsibility for its failure to provide systems that treat children as children, and believe in their ability to learn and grow and ultimately be rehabilitated. 

Now is the time for Wisconsin to work towards youth justice reform that better ensures public safety, and invests in the services and supports children and families need, so we can prevent senseless tragedies, heal communities, and truly live into Wisconsin’s motto, “Forward”.