Juvenile corrections officers would be required to report any child abuse they witness to the state or local law enforcement under a new plan in the state Legislature.
Many professionals are already mandatory reporters of child abuse, including public school teachers, nurses, doctors and mental health counselors.
Sen. LaTonya Johnson, D-Milwaukee, and Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, want to add juvenile corrections officers to that list.
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“Regardless if that child is in school or at a daycare or receiving a service, or they’re part of the juvenile justice system, any child should have it mandatorily reported if they’re being abused,” Kleefisch said.
Johnson said the legislation is responding in part to allegations of abuse at the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake youth correctional facilities, which are currently being investigated by the FBI.
“There was a reason that this abuse and neglect wasn’t on anybody’s radar, because it was never reported,” Johnson said. “We want to try and make those kids as safe as possible and we want to provide those officers the tools they need to be able to report those incidents.”
Johnson said the bill is an “obvious” change that will help ensure the safety of youth inmates.
Under the plan, officers who don’t report abuse would be subject to a fine and jail time.
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