History
The Wisconsin Department of
Corrections, Division of Juvenile Corrections (DJC) received a "Serious
and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative" grant of two million dollars from
the U.S. Department of Justice in partnership with the U.S. Departments of
Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Health and Human Services. The
original grant period began July 1, 2002 and extends to June 30, 2005.
Since the start of the grant, the Division of Juvenile Corrections applied
for, and received, additional supplemental funds to enhance services in
the area of Substance Abuse and Mental Health and pre-employment
educational, literacy, or job training skills, and job placement. Along
with these supplemental funds, the Going Home Project has been extended
through June 2006.
The Going Home Project involves
male and female delinquent youth committed to a secured juvenile
correctional facility returning to Milwaukee County (Milwaukee area) or
Brown County (Green Bay area). Youth selected for the Project have been
adjudicated delinquent for serious and violent offenses such as sexual
assault, battery and armed robbery. In Milwaukee County, DJC supervises
all youth leaving a juvenile correctional facility with time remaining on
their correctional orders. In Brown County, DJC or the Department of Human
Services supervises youth depending on the youth’s legal supervision
status. The Going Home Project focuses on enhancing strategies and
services to support the reentry of serious juvenile offenders from DJC
institutions to the community in Milwaukee and Brown Counties.
Program Design
The primary goal of the grant is
to provide extensive programs and services to 100 (state supervised) and
approximately 10 - 15 (Brown County supervised) delinquent youth and their
families using a three-phase model. The first phase, Institution,
begins during a youth’s placement at a secured juvenile correctional
facility. DJC operates three facilities: Southern Oaks Girls School in
Union Grove, Lincoln Hills School (boys) in Irma, and Ethan Allen School
(boys) in Wales.
The second phase, Transition, starts approximately
three months prior to a youth’s return to the community and continues for
about three months in the community (phases A and B, respectively). The
third phase, Stabilization, takes place during ongoing community
supervision of the youth for an average of six to nine months.
The Going Home Project currently
has 82 state-supervised youth and 10 Brown County-supervised youth enrolled in the project. There are currently 26 youth in phase one, 21 in phase two - A, 29 in phase two - B, 7 youth in phase three and 9 youth that have completed the project and are no longer under the supervision of Juvenile Corrections.
Transition Team Planning
Representatives from the
correctional facility, committing county, community supervision staff,
families, youth, schools, workforce development agencies and other
community service providers work cooperatively during all three phases in
order to address needs of the youth and family as well as to build upon
strengths. A re-entry case manager leads the Transition Team for each
youth through all three phases of the project. Youth participants, their
families and their home communities will benefit from the increased focus
on preparing delinquent youth to successfully return to their communities.
Ultimately, youth will be better prepared to live crime-free and
productive lives resulting in decreased risks to the community and more
positive outcomes for the youth and families. Teams may also include
others such as representatives from local law enforcement, employers,
educators, landlords, members of the faith-based community, mentors,
family and extended family members and others who may be able to be
actively involved in planning and supporting the offender's safe and
successful return to the community.
Impact on Current Programs
Building on the strengths of
existing programs and services available both within DJC and in the
community, the Going Home project provides an opportunity to focus on a mission to achieve a safe and successful return of
the youth to the community. The Going Home project provides a
catalyst for existing agencies and programs to re-assess their missions and practices and to form new partnerships in order
to collaborate in this mission.
Local Advisory Committees
An interagency committee with
representatives from key state, local and county stakeholders was charged
with working with the Division of Juvenile Corrections and the Going Home
project staff on the development, implementation and planning for long
term sustainability of the project. In each county, the committee consists
of representatives of local agencies, service providers, community
members, educators and faith based organizations that will have a
significant impact on the successful reentry of the youth back to their
family and community.
Primary Contact:
Division of Juvenile Corrections
The Wisconsin Going Home Project
Director, Kate Elvidge
3099 E. Washington Avenue
P.O. Box 8930
Madison,WI 53708-8930
608.240-5937
