Gov. Tony Evers last Friday signed Assembly Bill 188, now 2019 Wisconsin Act 8, into law. Wisconsin Act 8 makes a number of technical changes to 2017 Wisconsin Act 185, including modifying the deadlines related to county-run juvenile facilities, modifying the deadline for closing Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake, and clarifying the process for transferring between facilities.
"Our top priority remains getting our kids out of Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake and closer to home as soon as we safely and responsibly can, and our agencies are working to collaborate and find efficiencies in this process," said Gov. Evers. "I look forward to having a larger conversation about reforming our juvenile justice system. We need to focus on investing in front-end prevention, alternatives, and diversion when youth intersect with the justice system, and trauma-informed, evidence-based practices."