Youth Justice Milwaukee Hosts Successful Roundtable with Elected Leaders on Youth Justice Reform
In a roundtable with local officials, Youth Justice Milwaukee shared vision for investing in youth, nonresidential community programs
Milwaukee, WI – Today, Youth Justice Milwaukee (YJM) held a roundtable meeting with Milwaukee County representatives, local aldermen, state officials and other elected officials, to discuss next steps after the closure of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth prisons. YJM presented officials with alternatives to locking young people up and demonstrated how nonresidential programs successfully hold young people accountable without removing them from their supportive communities, which inflicts unnecessary trauma and makes rehabilitation impossible.
After the event, Youth Justice Milwaukee co-founders Sharlen Moore and Jeff Roman released the following statement:
“We thank the Milwaukee leaders who joined us this afternoon, including Lieutenant Governor-Elect Mandela Barnes, State Senator Chris Larson, Milwaukee County Supervisor Supreme Moore Omokunde, Milwaukee County Director of Health and Human Services Mary Jo Meyers, State Representative David Bowen and more. They listened with open hearts and minds to our vision for the young people in our communities. We’re excited to see so many officials working together for the common goal of creating a more just Wisconsin. Through community-based programs, we can provide youth with the care and resources they need while still holding them accountable. With Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake closing, a Wisconsin without youth prisons is possible and within reach, but only if we invest in appropriate, trauma-informed care and rehabilitation programs. We refuse to waste even one more dollar on the construction of new facilities that we know are ineffective and likely to do more harm than good.”
This evening, YJM will host another meeting for the public where Milwaukee County will present information on its plans after Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake close. Community members are encouraged to share their input on the plan at the free event from 5:30-8pm at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society.
Youth Justice Milwaukee is a broad-based campaign advocating for community-based, family-centered, restorative programs as an alternative to locking up children in Wisconsin’s youth prisons. Youth Justice Milwaukee represents a coalition of persons who were incarcerated as youth, families of youth who are or were incarcerated, service providers, and local and national youth justice advocates.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Facilities
- MKE County: Tight Budget Forces Difficult Vote on Housing, Juvenile Justice - Graham Kilmer - Nov 1st, 2024
- Letters from Evers, Republicans Show Clash on Juvenile Corrections - Andrew Kennard - Aug 17th, 2024
- Following Counselor Death, Staff, Family Plead for Help At Lincoln Hills - Andrew Kennard - Aug 16th, 2024
- Lawmakers Grill Wisconsin Prison Officials Over Safety, Employee Death at Youth Facility - Sarah Lehr - Aug 7th, 2024
- Future of Lincoln Hills Remains In Limbo - Isiah Holmes - Apr 12th, 2024
- MKE County: County Youth In State Prisons Declining Again - Graham Kilmer - Jan 15th, 2024
- Legislative Committee Okays $6 Million for 2nd Juvenile Facility - Devin Blake - Oct 1st, 2023
- Some Progress, Still Problems at Lincoln Hills - Isiah Holmes - Jul 9th, 2023
- Plats and Parcels: Republicans Approve Gov. Evers’ Allocation of $32.6 Million More To Build Milwaukee Youth Prison - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 4th, 2023
- Milwaukee Youth Prison Costs Grow 71% - Jeramey Jannene - Mar 1st, 2023
Read more about Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Facilities here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Youth Justice Milwaukee
Polling Shows: Majority of Wisconsinites Support Youth Justice Reform
Jun 3rd, 2019 by Youth Justice MilwaukeeSignals Strong Bipartisan Support for Community-Based Alternatives to Incarceration to Rehabilitate Youth
Youth Justice Milwaukee: Wisconsin Must Include Community Input for Any Youth Transfers
May 10th, 2019 by Youth Justice Milwaukee"YJM agrees with President Hamilton that there are already enough correctional settings on the north side of Milwaukee."
