Juvenile Procedures

WOOD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT   
JUVENILE INVESTIGATIONS

 

THE WOOD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT HAS ONE INVESTIGATOR THAT IS ASSIGNED SOLELY TO INVESTIGATE JUVENILE CRIMES.  THE INVESTIGATIONS WOULD INCLUDE CRIMES JUVENILES COMMIT AS WELL AS CRIMES COMMITTED AGAINST JUVENILES.  OUR INVESTIGATOR ALSO ASSISTS WOOD COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES IN THEIR INVESTIGATION THAT DEAL WITH JUVENILES. 

THIS PAGE WILL ASSIST YOU IN UNDERSTANDING SOME OF THE JUVENILE LAWS THAT HAVE COME ABOUT IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.  IT WILL ALSO GIVE YOU INFORMATION IN SOME OF THE PROGRAMS BECOMING AVAILABLE TO TEEN OFFENDERS. 

New Juvenile Statute Underage Drinking Procedures
Unified Service Diversion Program Juvenile Non-Alcohol Related Offenses

NEW JUVENILE STATUTE

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 1996 THE WISCONSIN STATE LAW CHANGED THE AGE FOR ADULT CRIMINAL COURT JURISDICTION FROM 18 YEARS OF AGE, TO 17 YEARS OF AGE.   THIS MEANS THE FOLLOWING:

  1. 17 YEAR OLDS ARE TREATED THE SAME AS ADULTS FOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
  2. 17 YEAR OLDS CAN BE JAILED IN THE WOOD COUNTY JAIL AS AN ADULT.
  3. 17 YEARS OLDS NOW ARE TREATED AS AN ADULT IN UNDERAGE DRINKING MATTERS.

 

THE AGE CHANGE DOES NOT CHANGE THE FOLLOWING STATUS:

  1. MANDATORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE:  ALL 17 YEAR OLDS ARE OBLIGATED TO ATTEND SCHOOL.
  2. PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS RETAIN LEGAL CUSTODY OVER 17 YEAR OLDS. 
  3. THE AGE OF MAJORITY STILL REMAINS AT 18.  ALL 17 YEAR OLDS ARE CHILDREN IN THE LAW EXCEPT THEY ARE CONSIDERED "ADULTS" FOR PROSECUTION PURPOSE WHEN THEY HAVE COMMITTED A CRIMINAL OFFENSE OR VIOLATED LOCAL ORDINANCES. 

UNDERAGE DRINKING

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE PRACTICES OF THE WOOD COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT WHEN DEALING WITH UNDERAGE DRINKERS. (ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21)(ALSO REFER TO WOOD COUNTY ORDINANCE)

AGE 17 TO AGE 20 IF ANY ONE IS FOUND TO BE POSSESSING OR CONSUMING INTOXICANT, THEY WILL BE GIVEN A CITATION FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING.   THIS IS ON A STATE CITATION AND WILL APPEAR ON YOUR DRIVING RECORD.  A COURT DATE WILL BE LISTED ON YOUR CITATION.  THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY APPEARANCE.   REPEATED OFFENSE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF LICENSE.

(NOTE: MULTIPLE OFFENSES ARE COUNTED WITHIN A ONE YEAR PERIOD)

PENALTIES FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING (125.07 (4B)
FIRST VIOLATION $225.00
SECOND VIOLATION $349.00
THIRD VIOLATION $473.00
FOUR AND SUBSEQUENT VIOLATION WITHIN A ONE YEAR PERIOD $721.00
AGE 16 AND UNDER ANYONE FOUND TO BE CONSUMING OR POSSESSING AN INTOXICANT WILL BE GIVEN A CITATION FOR UNDERAGE DRINKING.  THIS HAS A MANDATORY COURT APPEARANCE WITH IT.  YOUR PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE VIOLATION EITHER BY PERSONAL CONTACT OR BY LETTER.  THIS WILL ALSO APPEAR ON YOU DRIVING RECORD REGARDLESS IF YOU HAVE A D.L. OR NOT.  THE JUDGE WILL IMPOSE THE PENALTY ON YOU WHEN YOU APPEAR IN COURT.

UNDERAGE DIVERSION PROGRAM BY
WOOD COUNTY UNIFIED SERVICES

WOOD COUNTY BRACH 1 NO LONGER DEALS WITH THE UNDERAGE DIVERSION PROGRAM.

NON-ALCOHOL JUVENILE RELATED OFFENSES

THE FOLLOWING IS THE PROCEDURE WHEN HANDLING   NON-ALCOHOL RELATED OFFENSES.  THESE MOST LIKELY WOULD PERTAIN TO WOOD COUNTY ORDINANCES OR WISCONSIN STATE STATUTES. 

AGE 17 TO AGE 20 IF ANYONE VIOLATES WOOD COUNTY ORDINANCE OR WISCONSIN STATE STATUTES THEY MAY RECEIVE A COUNTY ORDINANCE CITATION OR CRIMINAL CHARGES MAY BE REFEREED TO THE WOOD COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE. ( SEE THE ORDINANCE PAGE FOR FORFEITURE AMOUNTS.)
AGE 16 AND UNDER THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE REFEREED TO THE WOOD COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT OR RECEIVE A COUNTY ORDINANCE CITATION WITH A FORFEITURE AMOUNT OF $50.00 OR $100.00


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