Research over the past 20+ years affirms that trying youth in adult court has a detrimental impact on community safety as well as on many 17-year-olds. Current Wisconsin law excludes all 17-year-olds from the juvenile court and the services available through that venue. Even if prosecutors and judges wanted to include a 17-year-old in an appropriate juvenile service or program, they are unable to do so. Researchers have studied how best to promote public safety and meet the needs of 17-year-olds in several different ways.
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.
