WISCONSIN GOING HOME PROJECT (WI)

Program Description
In July 2002, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Corrections (DJC) received a two million dollar grant (over three years) from the U. S. Department of Justice as a part of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative. The Wisconsin Going Home Project targets male and female youth (ages 14 to 25) confined to a juvenile correctional facility returning to Milwaukee County or Brown County. Youth selected for the project have been adjudicated delinquent for serious and violent offenses such as sexual assault, battery, and armed robbery. In Milwaukee County, DJC supervises all youth leaving juvenile correctional facilities with time remaining on their correctional orders. In Brown County, DJC or the Department of Human Services supervises youth depending on the youth's legal supervision status.

The DJC provides institutional and community-based transition services to delinquent youth and their families using a three-phase model. The first phase, Institution, begins during a youth's placement at a secured juvenile correctional facility. Transition, the second stage, begins about three months before a youth returns to the community and continues for about three months in the community. The third phase, Stabilization, takes place during ongoing community supervision of the youth for an average of six to nine months. A reentry case manager leads a Transition Team for each youth through all three phases.

Program Goals
The primary goal of the grant is to provide intensive programs and services to delinquent youth and their families using the three-phase model so that youth will be better prepared to live crime-free and productive lives, resulting in increased public safety for the community.

Networking, Partnering & Collaboration
Representatives from the correctional facility, committing county, community supervision staff, families, youth, schools, workforce development agencies and other community service providers work cooperatively during all three phases in order to address the needs of the youth and his/ her family as well as to build upon strengths. A DJC reentry case manager leads the Transition Team for each youth through all three phases of the project.

Outcomes
Presently, the program has no outcomes to report. However, the Going Home Project will be evaluated on an ongoing basis as youth are identified for the program and progress through the phases. The first youth were scheduled to be released to the community in July 2003.

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