Wisconsin

Jane:
Jane’s parents divorced when she was a toddler, so she was raised almost entirely by her single mother. Throughout elementary and most of middle school, Jane was a promising honor-roll student. In eighth grade, however, she began hanging with a bad crowd, using marijuana, and showing symptoms of depression. Her parents sent her to an outpatient drug program, where she met a controlling boyfriend who convinced her to experiment with a variety of drugs. After getting back, she took her mother’s car without permission. Her mother reported the car stolen, and when she was caught, Jane was tried as an adult and given probation. Jane realized that this was the time to turn her life around, so she began attending school regularly and even got a job. Her attempts at reform were in vain when one day, late for school, she borrowed a neighbor’s bicycle without permission. The neighbor reported the bike stolen, and the theft violated Jane’s probation. She was sent to jail for 75 days. The misdemeanor will remain on her record for the rest of her life.

John:
John was sent to the juvenile justice system at the age of 12 for driving without a license. After spending some time in the juvenile justice system, John was unable to return home as his parents had split up while he was gone and neither was able to care for him. The system bounced John around between different group homes for five years and then released him to fend for himself when he turned 17. Having nowhere to go, John broke into a car one cold winter evening and slept in it. For this offense, he was jailed for one night and sent to live with some relatives. He never received papers informing him of his court date, so he was arrested for not attending his hearing and sentenced to six months in adult jail. He spent those six months underfed and without any educational opportunities. John’s situation arose not out of his own mistakes, but rather the failure of the criminal justice system to give him the help he needed.

Jeffrey:
Jeffrey had more than his fair share of problems growing up, and these were only intensified by the juvenile justice system. Diagnosed with depression and ADHD in elementary school, Jeffrey self-medicated his problems with drugs and alcohol. When he was 14, his mother had him committed to an alcohol treatment center for a year. Unfortunately, during that period his mother died, and Jeffrey was moved between foster and group homes after being released. His drug and alcohol use escalated due to the stress. Authorities arrested Jeffrey and sentenced him as an adult for drug use and then disorderly conduct, giving him six months in an adult facility. To make matters worse, Jeffrey fought with his cellmate, so now he faces felony charges of assault. At only 17 years old, Jeffrey already finds his dreams destroyed by a felony record.