Wis. Stat. § 938.48 — WI Code / Chapter 938 / Section 938.48
Authority of department of corrections.
Status: in_force

The department of corrections may do all of the following:

(1) Enforcement of laws. Promote the enforcement of the laws relating to delinquent juveniles and juveniles in need of protection or services and take the initiative in all matters involving the interests of those juveniles when adequate provision for those matters is not made. This duty shall be discharged in cooperation with the courts, the department of children and families, county departments, licensed child welfare agencies, parents, and other individuals interested in the welfare of juveniles.

(3) Supervision and special treatment or care. Accept supervision over juveniles transferred to it by the court under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) , or 938.357 (3) or (4) , and provide special treatment or care to juveniles when directed by the court. Except as provided in s. 938.505 (2) , a court may not direct the department to administer psychotropic medications to juveniles who receive special treatment or care under this subsection.

(4) Care, training, and placement. Provide appropriate care and training for juveniles under its supervision under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) , or 938.357 (3) or (4) , including serving those juveniles in their own homes, placing them in licensed foster homes or licensed group homes under s. 48.63 or in independent living situations as provided in s. 938.34 (3) (e) , contracting for their care by licensed child welfare agencies, or replacing them in juvenile correctional facilities or secured residential care centers for children and youth in accordance with rules promulgated under ch. 227 , except that the department may not purchase the educational component of private day treatment programs for a juvenile in its custody unless the department, the school board, as defined in s. 115.001 (7) , and the state superintendent of public instruction all determine that an appropriate public education program is not available for the juvenile. Disputes between the department and the school district shall be resolved by the state superintendent of public instruction.

(4m) Continuing care and services for juveniles over 17. Continue to provide appropriate care, training and services to any person who meets all of the following qualifications:

(a) Is at least 17 years of age.

(b) Was under the supervision of the department under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) or 938.357 (3) or (4) when the person reached 17 years of age.

(c) Is less than 19 years of age.

(d) Is determined by the department to be in need of care and services designed to fit the person for gainful employment and has requested and consented to receive the care and services.

(5) Moral and religious training. Provide for the moral and religious training of a juvenile under its supervision under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) , or 938.357 (3) or (4) according to the religious beliefs of the juvenile or of the juvenile’s parents.

(6) Emergency surgery. Consent to emergency surgery under the direction of a licensed physician or surgeon for any juvenile under its supervision under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) , or 938.357 (3) or (4) upon notification by a licensed physician or surgeon of the need for the surgery and if reasonable effort, compatible with the nature and time limitation of the emergency, has been made to secure the consent of the juvenile’s parent or guardian.

(13) Allowances and cash grants. Promulgate rules for the payment of an allowance to juveniles in its institutions and a cash grant to a juvenile being discharged from its institutions or released to community supervision or aftercare supervision.

(14) School-related expenses for juveniles over 17. Pay maintenance, tuition, and related expenses from the appropriation under s. 20.410 (3) (ho) for persons who, when they attained 17 years of age, were students regularly attending a school, college, or university or regularly attending a course of vocational or technical training designed to prepare them for gainful employment, and who upon attaining that age were under the supervision of the department under s. 938.183 , 938.34 (4h) , or 938.357 (3) or (4) as a result of a judicial decision.

(16) Standards for services.

(a) Based on research into effective correctional programs and practices, establish and enforce standards for services for juveniles under the supervision of the department under s. 938.183 , 938.34 , or 938.345 .

(b) Promulgate rules governing services and programming for juveniles in a secured residential care center for children and youth. The rules shall require counties or Indian tribes that operate or contract with a child welfare agency for a secured residential care center for children and youth to implement trauma-informed principles and evidence-based practices at the facilities and shall include uniform data reporting standards. The department shall base the rules it promulgates under this paragraph on the recommendations provided by the juvenile corrections study committee under 2017 Wisconsin Act 185 , section 110 (6) (c) 1 .

History: 1995 a. 77 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 2001 a. 38 ; 2005 a. 344 ; 2009 a. 28 , 233 ; 2011 a. 258 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 55 ; 2017 a. 185 ; 2019 a. 8 ss. 44 to 50 , 71 .