In recent years there have been concerted efforts shared by city, county and state officials, mental health providers, community organizers, families, and other community stakeholders to reimagine the pathways we use to rehabilitate youth who are sentenced for serious offenses. The efforts to rethink the current approaches in place to support our youth came as a result of growing concerns that pointed to the reality that youth incarcerated at Lincoln Hills School for Boys were more likely to endure severe trauma instead of rehabilitation.

The concept of relocating treatment and rehabilitation opportunities for youth to smaller settings that are closer to the communities where many of the offending youth come from is a concept that Council members and many community stakeholders continue to support. Research is clear that rehabilitation and treatment for youth in smaller secure settings are more likely to result in disrupting cycles of recidivism as opposed to incarcerating youth in prison settings that are isolated from the community for a period of time.

As President of the Common Council, I urge constituents and stakeholders to share input and participate in the efforts to relocate Milwaukee youth to settings where they can get the treatments and supports that can bring about rehabilitation. We all want a city that is safe and we want to see our youth rehabilitated in conditions that prepare them for successful reentry into our communities.