Public Defender's office and State Bar sponsor public forums
April 9, 1999
Wisconsin's latest Juvenile Code changes and the soon-to-take-effect
Truth in Sentencing law will be discussed by a panel of experts this
spring in two public forums.
The forums, coordinated by the State Bar of Wisconsin's Law-related
Education Committee and the Public Defender's Office, will take place in
Eau Claire and Wausau on April 29 and May 6, respectively. The public is
encouraged and invited to attend both forums.
The first forum,"War on Crime or War on Children: Prosecution and
Prevention of Juvenile Crime," will be held at Regis High School in Eau
Claire on Thursday, April 29,1999, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
In 1996, Wisconsin's new Juvenile Justice Code took effect, with a
major philosophical shift from serving the best interests of children
toward protecting the public from their criminal misconduct. Among the
significant changes in the new code are lower ages for prosecution in
both adult and juvenile courts, harsher punishments for delinquent acts,
and less confidentiality of juvenile court records. Several experts in
the field of juvenile justice will discuss the new code's effects and
other strategies for preventing juvenile crime.
The second forum, in Wausau on May 6, will discuss "Truth in
Sentencing: Challenges for Wisconsin's Judicial and Correction Systems."
A panel of experts in the field of criminal justice will discuss the
difficult issues that Wisconsin faces when implementing Truth in
Sentencing. The forum will be held at the City Council Chambers in
Wausau on Thursday, May 6, 1999, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Wisconsin's Truth in Sentencing law takes effect at the end of this
year. A committee of experts is studying the new law's impact on
Wisconsin's prison population and budget. The Legislature will consider
the committee's recommendations this fall for changes in the state's
criminal code and sentencing practices.
For more information, please contact Dee Runaas, law-related education
coordinator, at the State Bar of Wisconsin at (608) 250-6191.
