GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ)- Northeast Wisconsin counties have decided to join forces in figuring out jail overcrowding and juvenile justice in the region.
After a lengthy symposium Wednesday, officials from 12 Northeast Wisconsin counties decided it would be worth their time to work together.
Brown County Executive Troy Streckenbach says jail over crowding and juvenile placement is real, and real expensive.
“Brown County was in a position where we were overcrowded,” he said. “It is cost to our taxpayers and if we can come together as a region and have these coversations, we can save taxpayers money.”
Marinette County Circuit Court Judge James Morrison says it also comes down to resources.
“We don’t have enough qualified therapists, social workers or trained correction officers to needlessly duplicate services.”
After the state decided to close two large juvenile correction facilities, the questions remain. Where do they go? Where do you build a facility in Northeast Wisconsin and how do the counties work together?
Brown County Deputy Executive Jeff Flynt says that is what the task force will work on.
“We got the dialouge started in trying to determine what each counties specific needs are.”
The task force will schedule another meeting and then be the point of contact for their specific counties.
“This is more than a one day conversation. There are deeper dives into data, and deeper dives into funding a cost,” Flynt says.
“Maybe there is a better way for us to address this than having 11 individual counties building brick and mortar.”
Those in attendence agreed that is was a good first step in the right direction.
