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Special meetings on crime: HHS director, who oversees juvenile justice system appears before committee
Special meetings on crime: HHS director, who oversees juvenile justice system appears before committee
MILWAUKEE -- FOX6 News on Monday, July 11th heard unique insight on juvenile crime from someone who oversees the juvenile justice system in Milwaukee.
Health and Human Services Director Hector Colon went before the Milwaukee Common Council's Public Safety Committee Monday and was grilled about a surge in crime in the city.
Colon oversees the Milwaukee County's juvenile detention facility, which has become increasingly overcrowded because judges are sending fewer offenders to Lincoln Hills, which is under investigation for abuse allegations.
Hector Colon
An administrator with the HHS told committee members it is important to not only know where offenders are being sent for punishment, but to also understand where they came from:
"Nationally, about two-thirds of the youth that end up in the juvenile justice system have experienced some type of abuse or neglect, some type of maltreatment at home," Mark Mertens, Milwaukee County HHS administrator said.
The 120-bed juvenile facility in Milwaukee County reached capacity 32 times between January and April.
Colon is the sixth city leader to go before the Public Safety Committee to talk about crime problems in Milwaukee.
Below is a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services on this meeting: