PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Seventeen-Year-Old Wisconsin Offenders Face Harsh Punishments

Wisconsin currently classifies 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system, where they receive longer sentences, have fewer treatment options, and commit new crimes more frequently.

2012-12-01
December 01, 2012 (Press-News.org) Seventeen-Year-Old Wisconsin Offenders Face Harsh Punishments

Wisconsin is one of 13 states with laws classifying 17-year-olds as adults in their criminal justice systems, producing harsher penalties for minor offenders. Many people are surprised to learn that all 17-year-olds are prosecuted as adults in Wisconsin, because for all other purposes they are not considered adults. Seventeen-year-olds cannot vote, or enter into contracts. Yet they are prosecuted in criminal court -- and that means the court records are open to anyone, including future employers or colleges.

Treating 17-year-olds as adults can also have tragic consequences. After the jail suicide of their son Kirk Gunderson, who hanged himself two days after Christmas in 2005 and who was in adult jail at age 17, his parents are advocating for abolishing the state law that treats 17-year-olds as adults in criminal matters.

In one case that exemplifies the difficulties juveniles can face in adult jail, a 17-year-old faced attempted homicide charges for allegedly stabbing his father and brother and was held in adult jail. According to his parents, the teenager desperately needed mental health services to deal with head injuries from sports and prior Oxycontin abuse, but none was provided in adult jail before the teen committed suicide there. His parents and other advocates say Wisconsin's juvenile justice system provides these services and is focused on changing behavior through rehabilitation and treatment, rather than by simply punishing young offenders, and they assert that the law must be changed.

Penalties under the adult criminal justice system are different from the juvenile system. Placing youths in adult systems means longer sentences and less individualized treatment. There are also fewer services to assist with behavioral change and fewer opportunities for families to get involved when a 17-year-old is in the adult system. In fact, studies reveal that youths in adult systems commit new crimes more often than those in youth facilities.

Youths also have a greater risk of harassment and death in an adult system. Suicide rates are higher as well. Statistics show that juveniles are 36 times more likely to kill themselves in an adult prison than in a juvenile detention facility, according to a report by the University of Texas at Austin.

Supporters of changing Wisconsin's law advocate for placing 17-year-old offenders into the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, while still maintaining procedures allowing courts to move them to the adult system if truly necessary. In addition, juvenile court records are generally closed to the public, which helps protect the offender from future adverse consequences because of one offense committed while the person was still very young and immature.

If your child has been charged with a crime or juvenile offense in Wisconsin, contact an experienced Wisconsin criminal defense attorney for legal advice as soon as possible.

Article provided by Buting & Williams, S.C.
Visit us at http://www.buting.com


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Former NFL Players Take Advantage of California's Workers' Comp Law

2012-12-01
Former NFL Players Take Advantage of California's Workers' Comp Law The purpose of workers' compensation benefits is to ensure that both replacement wages and medical care are available to those who are injured on the job. And while most people might be familiar with construction workers, teachers and truck drivers filing for benefits, a new group of workers are beginning to take advantage of the system: former players in the National Football League. Workers' Comp Claims: an Alternative to Concussion Lawsuits? The NFL is currently facing a great number of lawsuits ...

CCRA Unveils a New Travel Agent Blog Featuring a "Wednesday Rewards" Contest for Agents to Win Prizes

2012-12-01
This month CCRA Travel Solutions - a leading provider of business-related solutions for the travel professional -- is pleased to unveil a new travel agent blog (http://ccratravelagentblog.com) that will feature travel tips and industry insight; travel agent success stories and advice; the latest CCRA agent offerings, and much more. The new blog will also feature a "Wednesday Rewards" contest offering regular opportunities for travel agents to win prizes courtesy of CCRA and its suppliers. This blog was created to become the "go to" place for travel agents ...

Advanced Pension Strategies Expands Financial Services To Greater Los Angeles Area

2012-12-01
Advanced Pension Strategies (http://www.AdvancedPensions.com), a United States based insurance and financial services company is excited to expand into new marketplaces. Initially the company was formed in Los Angeles and has expanded at a rapid pace calling for new locations throughout Southern California. The new business radius covers cities in the Valley all the way to San Diego and out to Riverside. In addition to the office in the City of Los Angeles, Advanced Pension Strategies will also have a presence in Westlake Village, Pasadena and Torrance. The expanded ...

Occidental Vacation Club Receives RCI Gold Crown Ratings

2012-12-01
Occidental Vacation Club, a division of Occidental Hotels and Resorts (Madrid), has been awarded the coveted RCI Gold Crown rating for 10 of its resorts. The term Gold Crown resort is reserved for the highest standard vacation / timeshare resorts within the Resort Condominiums International (RCI) exchange network. In most cases the RCI Gold Crown Resorts provide the owner the highest trading power within the RCI exchange network. In addition to other ranking qualities, the final Gold Crown designation is achieved only through actual Guest Comments with point ratings that ...

Brookfield to Release Final Phase of Homes at Award-Winning Rockrose Community in Carlsbad this Weekend

2012-12-01
Prospective buyers will get their last chance to own a new eco-savvy home at Rockrose at The Foothills when Brookfield Homes releases the final phase of homes in the Carlsbad community on Saturday, Dec. 1. The final six homes will be priced from $612,900. "We've seen increasing interest in the new home market and already have a few families anticipating the release of these final homes at Rockrose," said Debby King, director of marketing for Brookfield Homes. "Our residents have told us they love the community with its resort-like Swim Club; the community's ...

Hotels Take Control of Online Reputation with Opinionmeter's TouchPoint for Hotels

2012-12-01
Most unhappy hotel guests simply want a venue to let management know they are disappointed. If hotel management provides an outlet for the guest to communicate, they will be less likely to search online for a website to complain or post guest reviews. Opinionmeter's new in-room survey system is providing hotels the opportunity to take control of their online reputation and react in real-time to customer complaints. Here is how TouchPoint for Hotels in-room survey system works: • Hotel management decides to take control of their online reputation by intervening before ...

Travelers Glow On-The-Go with Newly Launched Sonya Dakar Skincare Jet Set Kits

2012-12-01
Leading luxury brand, Sonya Dakar Skincare, launches five new Jet Set travel kits just in time for holiday travel. Each Jet Set kit includes three of Sonya Dakar Skincare's bestselling products in travel-friendly sizes, available in their Ultraluxe for anti-aging, Clear, Maintenance, and Irritation lines. Complete with a convenient satin carrying case, these FAA approved Jet Set travel kits ensure a smooth landing for every skin type. "Climate changes, low humidity, and stress are all factors that make skin increasingly vulnerable during travel. However, packing ...

Tax Defense Network PR Explains Tax Debt Resolution

2012-12-01
Tax Defense Network PR has been making efforts to inform taxpayers about how they can resolve their tax debt in the simplest manner possible. Being in the tax industry since 1997, Tax Defense Network is aware of the many problems that taxpayers face while getting their tax debt resolved. Through its PR, Tax Defense Network shares their expertise in tax debt cases, such as Tax Defense Network Explains How to Deal with a Back Tax Debt. Before a taxpayer applies for an IRS tax debt payment plan, taxpayers must fully understand their case. In tax debt cases where taxpayers ...

Chicago Born Singer-Songwriter And Producer Sijay Creates a Modern Take on Neo Soul with Latest Album Detroit Club

2012-12-01
The epitome of a triple threat, Sijay is a producer, songwriter and mixer. Every note he sings, and every word he writes is meaningful; combining beautifully crafted tones with a rich timbre that eludes even the most experienced singers. His album "Detroit Club" released Tuesday, November 20 by World Stage International Records; will open his audience up to a musical mind shaped as a complex instrument that has been resting in a rich marinade of Neo Soul, R&B, and Jazz. In celebration of his new album "Detroit Club" and the upcoming holidays, ...

Danforth Center Scientist Elected 2012 Fellow

2012-12-01
Dr. Tom Brutnell director of the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The election of AAAS Fellows by their peers has been a tradition for more than 130 years and is an honor bestowed upon distinguished persons who are members of the Association. Fellows are recognized for meritorious efforts to advance science or its applications. Brutnell is being honored for his distinguished contributions to the understanding of C4 ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Are lifetimes of big appliances really shrinking?

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

[Press-News.org] Seventeen-Year-Old Wisconsin Offenders Face Harsh Punishments
Wisconsin currently classifies 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system, where they receive longer sentences, have fewer treatment options, and commit new crimes more frequently.