Juvenile court judge details rehabilitation system after recent string of youth crime

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- All this week we've been reporting on the impact of teens and children committing crimes, some as young as 13.

From smashed car windows to armed robberies to deadly hit-and-run crashes, city leaders say Milwaukee is at a tipping point.

On Friday night, Aug.9, we spoke with a judge in the juvenile justice system about the challenges they face.

The goal is to rehabilitate teen and child offenders. But the challenge is pushing for a child's rehabilitation while also respecting the public's right to safety.

Some serious crimes committed by teens are getting a lot of attention, but a juvenile court judge says there are success stories.

It's a difficult balance, according to Milwaukee County Juvenile Court Judge Jane Carroll, who told us, "The hard problem is keeping the kids accountable, helping them understand the severity of their conduct."

Children are different, Carroll says, even when they commit serious crimes. And so, the court system responds to their behavior differently, even when it's the same as adults'.

The juvenile court system does not talk about jail or prison, they talk about placements, both secure and non-secure.

Judge Carroll said, "Sending kids, a low-risk kid, into a secure setting, turns them into a high-risk kid."

They can also go to group homes or out of home care providers, depending on their needs and their performance through the course of their order.

The courts try to treat young people in the least restrictive way possible by keeping them with their families and schools.

But protecting the community is also important, and Judge Carroll said court officials are keenly aware of the challenges. "When you're on the receiving end of a carjacking, it doesn't really matter to you if it's a 14-year-old or a 17-year-old."

One 14-year-old we've talked about extensively is accused of 11 armed robberies, four carjackings, and a deadly hit-and-run, all in a six week span this summer.

A public defender represented him in court this week.

But there are success stories.

Judge Carroll is on her third rotation in juvenile court and told us kids have tracked her down to update her on their lives years after she heard their case.

She added, "I see kids every day who come back. They asked for their juvenile record to be expunged so they can get a professional job."

Judge Carroll said the system needs to provide adequate resources like jobs, transportation, and things to do after school. "We want them to be in the community, but we need we need eyes on them. We need things for them to do."

And the children must cooperate, but that doesn't always happen.

Judge Carroll said right now they're doing the best they can with what they have. She said, "There can always be more eyes on our kids. We can use all the help we can get."

The 14-year-old charged with 25 counts this week is being held in a children's detention center on a $200,000 bond. He's scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on Aug.15.