By Brian Fraley, A Dairyland Sentinel Perspective

This week Governor Tony Evers announced the creation of the Office of Violence prevention.

Earlier, I argued that this could only be seen as an indictment of the job Josh Kaul has been doing as the state’s Attorney General.

But, perhaps, Evers’ criticisms go beyond just the man in charge at DOJ and seep down to the various initiatives the Department is supposed to undertake?

Here, I’ll offer more specifics, and pose some questions that members of the Capitol Press Corps are free to ask Evers at their next opportunity.

Office of School Safety

The Wisconsin Office of School Safety (OSS) has been tasked with promoting safe learning environments in Wisconsin since its establishment in 2018. The Office’s mission is to engage, educate, and support all those involved in school safety.

The office supports school-based threat assessment and behavioral intervention teams, offering them the necessary tools and training to preemptively address potential threats. The OSS champions evidence-based violence prevention programs, with the goal of reducing the incidence of violence in schools through proven methodologies.

When schools face critical incidents, the OSS is supposed to step in, providing immediate assistance to help manage and recover from crises. Recognizing the financial constraints many schools operate under, the office offers free or low-cost training and technical assistance, making safety education accessible to all.

The OSS is also tasked with connecting schools directly with subject matter experts, ensuring that schools have access to professional advice and support tailored to their specific safety concerns.

Bureau of Justice Programs

The Bureau of Justice Programs (BJP) within the Wisconsin Department of Justice should be pivotal in managing both state and federal grants aimed at bolstering criminal justice, juvenile justice, and elder justice initiatives across the state.

BJP’s role extends to providing crucial guidance on grant administration, alongside managing unique programs like the Drug Take Back Program. The bureau’s criminal justice division is meant to be instrumental in crafting and executing statewide policies, plans, and programs that aim to enhance public safety and improve criminal justice outcomes. This team also supports the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and its subcommittees, with the aim of ensuring a coordinated approach to policy development.

On the juvenile justice front, BJP staff support the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Commission, ensuring compliance with the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act to secure Title II federal grants. These funds are then distributed to counties, tribes, non-profits, and schools. Additionally, they manage other youth justice grants to support various agencies across Wisconsin.

Collaboration is supposed to be key in BJP’s elder justice efforts, where staff work alongside the Elder Justice Coalition to connect state agencies, organizations, and non-profits in efforts to improve service coordination, raise awareness, and advocate for elder justice.

Financial expertise within BJP is meant to aid in the application and management of federal grants, offering technical assistance to subgrantees and other agencies. Furthermore, BJP staff offer strategic advice to the Attorney General on drug policy and oversee the semi-annual Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

More

There are other divisions and bureaus and programs within Josh Kaul’s DOJ that, at least in theory, work on ‘violence prevention.” These include the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the human trafficking bureau within DOJ’s Department of Criminal Investigation and the Anti-Human Trafficking joint Task Force run in conjunction with the Department of Children and Families.

Does Tony Evers think Josh Kaul’s Office of School Safety, the Bureau of Justice Programs, and all these other efforts are failing at their missions?

Is the Governor’s concern with individual leaders within the OSS and BJP, or with Kaul himself? The same questions can be asked of any lawmakers who support Evers’ proposal.

If the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and these agencies and programs within DOJ are delivering results, why create a duplicative Office of Violence Prevention?

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