| Juvenile Justice Services |
The Juvenile Justice unit's authority results from Chapter 938 of Wisconsin Statutes.
The legislative intent is to provide services to youth who have violated the law and their families.
The purpose is to:
- Protect the community
- Impose accountability for violations of law
- Equip youth with competencies to live responsibility and productively
Referrals and Recommendations:
Referrals are typically received from law enforcement regarding violations of law. An investigation into what happened, as well as an assessment of appropriate consequences will be explored with the child and family.
Recommendations are made to the District Attorney's office and sometimes involve Juvenile Court intervention.
There are a wide variety of community services which the child and family can receive.
In some situations, social workers will work with children and families on a voluntary basis.
Social workers provide may also provide placement for youth if the situation warrants restrictions on community or home access. Sometimes, an emergency situation arises that requires a social worker to make a determination of whether a child needs to be held in physical custody. Such decisions are made only when there are allegations involving serious law violations or because of maltreatment.