In Madison this week, the Wisconsin Family Impact Seminars held its program on Strategies to Divert Adolescents with Behavioral Health Needs from the Juvenile Justice System.  Their programs are rooted in the belief that good government should be based on hard evidence drawn from rigorous research and analysis.  Some of the key takeaways from this program were:

• Neuro-psychological and behavioral research taken together supports the idea that adolescents are distinct from adults in how they formulate judgments.
• Juvenile offenders naturally evolve toward committing less or no crime; that is juvenile offenders tend to "desist" from crime regardless of the intensity of the intervention of the justice system.  This reduction in offending is related to their improved social judgment skills as they mature into adulthood.
• Institutional stays in secure juvenile or adult facilities have little impact on future adolescent offending.
• Mental health problems are more prevalent in adolescent offenders for a variety of reasons, but mental health problems alone contribute little to criminal involvement.  Substance use problems are much more influential but are often not addressed adequately.
• State policymakers can improve their state's juvenile justice system by supporting programs and policies that provide the most effective services to the right adolescents at the right time.  

As we continue to evaluate juvenile justice reform, evidence-based research is key to making good public policy. I appreciate the partnership of the Robert M. LaFollette School of Public Affair's partnership to help legislators learn more about these critical topics. Learn more about the program here.

The Wausau Police Department will be holding its Spring Citizen’s Academy starting on February 11th, 2020. This is an opportunity for citizens to get an inside look at law enforcement in Wausau. The classes are held each Tuesday for ten weeks from 6:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.

Thanks for Visiting!

This week, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of medical school students about legislative issues that are important to them. I also had the opportunity to welcome members of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association to my Capitol office. They visited to discuss topics that allow them to bring news and other programming to their listeners and viewers. I appreciate hearing from constituents that are impacted everyday by the decisions we make in the legislature. If you have thoughts on a proposal going through the legislative process, contact me today!