Milwaukee County officials hope to open juvenile rehabilitation center on Milwaukee's north side

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Milwaukee County officials are hoping to put a juvenile rehabilitation center on Milwaukee’s north side.

Milwaukee County officials who are putting this program into place say this building will not be a juvenile prison or detention facility, but rather a rehabilitation center for kids, to give them a second chance.

Milwaukee County wants to turn this facility into one unlike any other in the State.

“This facility is a shorter term for those kids who are not as needy as the most serious or dangerous,” said Deputy Chief of Milwaukee County Judge Joe Donald.

The building will house 24 juveniles, ages 14 to 17, who’ve committed crimes that are serious but not extreme, such as armed robbery or carjacking.

They would stay here for 4-6 months to get help and family support.

“It’s evidence-based and trauma-informed so that we are really getting at the root causes that have brought the kids into the Juvenile Justice Systems.”

Typically, these kids would be shipped to a facility out of the County to Lincoln Hills or even out of state, away from their family.

The only other facility similar to this one in the county is the Saint Charles Youth Center.

“Every youth is different, their needs are different, and the needs for security are different.”

The old facility won’t be locked down, but there will be half a million dollars’ worth of security cameras and special doors installed. There will also be a guard for every three kids placed there.

“Some youth can be safely maintained at home and get services on the other end of the spectrum some youth need to be in a correctional type of setting. This program falls in between those two.”