(The Center Square) – Milwaukee’s Community Justice Council should look to receive stable funding from the city and county to increase staffing and ensure future policy implementation, a new report says.
The council’s stakeholders believe that while the council succeeds in bringing justice system leaders and representatives together to discuss common challenges and find consensus on certain issues, it falls short in other areas, according to a report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum.
The council, founded in 2007 to promote better coordination and collaboration among Milwaukee County’s justice system, comprises Milwaukee-area criminal justice agencies and state, federal and additional local justice officials.
“Unfortunately, a lack of staff capacity continues to limit the CJC’s ability to fully meet its ambitious goals,” the report says. “Stakeholders do not see 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 report says what underlies these problems is that the council is fully reliant on “precarious” and “time-limited” grants to fund its staff and operations.
While it receives money primarily from private grants and federal funds, the report suggests the council should consider changing its funding model, as a key source of its foundation grant funding is set to expire in 2026 and federal grant support may become uncertain due to changes in Washington.
Catoya Roberts, the council director, expressed similar concerns about the council’s funding. Roberts said moving forward the sustainability of funding from national foundations is very difficult in relation to grants.
Roberts told The Center Square, “We know that the majority of the criminal justice councils across the country have real investment at their local state level, so it’s important that we figure out how to make sure that happens here at Community Justice Council as well.”
The report also concurs that financial stability should be sought in local sources to better meet its goals, based on an analysis of peer justice councils nationwide.
“Each of the peer CJCCs we analyzed – unlike Milwaukee – rely at least somewhat on funding from their county government,” the report finds. “This support was critical to ensure that staffing levels remained consistent over time.”
For example, the report finds around 80% of the revenue for the justice coordinating councils in Toledo, Ohio, and Palm Beach County, Fla., come from local city, county or suburban municipalities.
The revenue allows both councils to provide more staffing and complete more comprehensive work, according to the report.
If Milwaukee’s council cannot find stable or increased funding, the report estimates “council leaders may need to consider narrowing their agenda to pursue fewer priorities with greater effectiveness.”
Alongside funding and narrowing expectations, the report says the council should focus on reconstituting under a larger nonprofit that can better support the its work, enlist greater participation from Milwaukee’s business and civic communities, and enhance communications about its work to the general public.