Council’s transition period offers chance to evaluate its strengths, areas for growth
Key stakeholders agree that Milwaukee’s Community Justice Council (CJC) excels in its role of convening justice system stakeholders and building consensus toward shared objectives, a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report finds.
But Milwaukee’s CJC may benefit from greater financial stability and additional staffing to carry out other parts of its mission, the report finds. If increased or more stable funding is not obtainable, then council leaders may need to consider narrowing their agenda to pursue fewer priorities with greater effectiveness.
“Stakeholders reaffirm that the (council) is successful in bringing justice system leaders together to discuss common challenges,” the report finds. “However, those same stakeholders do not see similar success when it comes to implementing policy initiatives, maximizing opportunities to share and use data, and speaking with one voice to the general public.”
The Forum report evaluates the council against standards developed by national justice leaders. It is also informed by a survey of the council’s executive committee members, interviews with its current and past leadership, and discussions and data gathered from similar councils in other states.
How the council started and grew
Milwaukee’s CJC was founded in 2007 to promote better coordination and collaboration among the county, state, and municipal agencies that comprise the justice system in Milwaukee County. Originally it functioned primarily as a recurring meeting of its executive committee, which at first included the Milwaukee County Executive, District Attorney, Chief Judge, House of Correction Superintendent, and Sheriff, as well as the city of Milwaukee Mayor and Police Chief.
Since then, the council’s executive committee has grown to include state, federal, and additional local justice officials, and a community representative, as well as a broader general membership. After securing support from federal and private foundation grants, the council hired two full-time staffers and one part-time staffer, the latter of which it shares with the Wisconsin Policy Forum. The Forum also provides office space to the CJC and supports some of its administrative needs.
The CJC recently conducted its first strategic planning effort in a decade. It established new priorities in areas such as housing, mental health, violence reduction, and youth engagement, recently hired an executive director, and had key founding members retire. The council also faces a need to grapple with its funding model, as a key source of its foundation grant funding is set to expire in 2026, and its federal grant support may grow more tenuous due to changes in Washington.
High-performing peers
Counterparts to Milwaukee’s CJC, typically known as criminal justice coordinating councils (CJCCs), exist throughout the country at the local or state level for the purpose of fostering collaboration and coordination among justice system stakeholders. In 2023, the National Institute of Corrections published documents meant to standardize and support the work of CJCCs across the country — one of which outlines 10 key attributes associated with high-performing CJCCs.
As part of our survey of Milwaukee CJC executive committee members, we asked them to assess (on a scale of one to five) its performance in each of the 10 key attributes. High scores were given for its ability to effectively convene justice system leaders and broadly coordinate activities, create opportunities for leaders to collaborate, and share information among key stakeholders. However, interviews with CJC leaders and members also revealed areas of possible improvement.
“Those include a need to spur action on issues and challenges that need to be resolved, as opposed only to reporting on them; determining how to secure the necessary resources to expand staff capacity; enhancing the use of data; and further developing the CJC’s role as a unified source of public information,” the report found.
Options ahead
Our analysis also included a look at peer CJCCs in Lucas County (Toledo), Ohio; Palm Beach County, Fla.; and Charleston County, S.C. We focused most closely on how the other CJCCs are distinct from Milwaukee’s CJC regarding their governance, financial support, and primary activities. Our analysis was the basis for five options for Milwaukee’s CJC to consider moving forward:
- Narrow expectations and focus on a few key areas: Accomplishing the full scope of work the CJC has laid out for itself poses a challenge with existing resources. A more focused approach may be best in the near term, and until or unless the council finds new funding sources.
- Reconstitute under a larger nonprofit that can better support the CJC’s work and align with its mission: The Forum’s partnership with the CJC has been mutually beneficial, but the CJC might benefit from being housed in a justice-related nonprofit that could give it a wider range of support beyond administrative services.
- Seek stable funding from the city and county: Each of the three peer CJCCs we analyzed – unlike Milwaukee — rely at least somewhat on funding from their county government. This support was critical to ensure that staffing levels remained consistent over time.
- Enlist greater participation from Milwaukee’s business and civic communities: Business leaders in Milwaukee share an interest in public safety, could bring new perspectives, and might help the CJC with fund development. Private health systems and universities also might be tapped for greater participation.
- Enhance communications: The CJC might benefit from enhanced communication about its work to the general public and it might consider playing a larger role in responding to the news media when important and high-profile public safety issues emerge.
This study was commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC) and the Milwaukee-based Argosy Foundation. Click here to read the report.
The Wisconsin Policy Forum is the state’s leading source of nonpartisan, independent research on state and local public policy. As a nonprofit, our research is supported by members including hundreds of corporations, nonprofits, local governments, school districts, and individuals. Visit wispolicyforum.org to learn more.
