Debt Free Justice Wisconsin

NCYL coordinates the Debt Free Justice Wisconsin coalition to abolish court fees and fines for youth and their families in Wisconsin.

Prior to county-level reforms, Dane County, Wisconsin (Madison) charged as much as $130 per day that a youth was held in juvenile detention and more than $300 a day that a youth was held in a youth prison. On average, the County charged $1,796 to a young person and their family for juvenile court involvement. Through incremental reforms and the support of the County’s Fines and Fees Subcommittee, Dane County eliminated discretionary juvenile court fees for youth, including costs charged for county detention, shelter home fees, and supervision fees. 

NCYL advocated for these reforms to be highlighted as a model for other Wisconsin and national jurisdictions by the U.S. Department of Justice, which referenced them in a 2023 Dear Colleague Letter and included them as a resource to other jurisdictions in an Access to Justice Spotlight.

Debt Free Justice Wisconsin is currently working to spread these reforms across Wisconsin. 

In 2024, the coalition submitted formal comment on a draft administrative rule from the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families that, when effective, will impact how fees are assessed on young people and their families. The coalition also conducted a statewide survey of young people and their families in summer 2024 and is currently creating a toolkit of resources for counties interested in eliminating juvenile court fees.