Brown County considers new juvenile offender facility

Brown County is one of just six counties across Wisconsin to submit a letter of interest in opening a juvenile detention center when the Lincoln Hills and Copper Lake Schools close.

The school they're interested in would be for less serious offenders; Gov. Tony Evers already announced in March he wants state-run, Type-1 facilities for serious offenders built in Hortonia and Milwaukee.

Regional, county-run facilities would then be built for less-serious youth offenders. Out of the six counties and the Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council interested in the prisons, Fond du Lac has withdrawn its interest.

Brown County officials declined to comment on their interest in a new juvenile facility, but the Health and Human Services Executive Director Erik Pritzl says there's many questions that need to be answered before the county moves to a full commitment.

Pat Evans, a Brown County supervisor, says keeping them close to home is a benefit.

"The question is are we going to be breaking even or making money on the service that we're providing?" he noted. He added that it makes the most sense to have a facility there, since Brown County has the most youth offenders in north east Wisconsin.

The Joint Committee on Finance is set to produce a plan for the facilities by July 1, but there is talk of pushing that date back to October 1.