Commit Crimes in WI at 17, Expect to Receive Adult Penalties

 Posted on February 26, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Only Georgia, Texas, and Wisconsin treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system. This means that across the state of Wisconsin, a 17-year-old who commits a criminal offense faces the same charges, legal process, and penalties as an adult. Since 17-year-olds are not grown up enough to always exercise good judgment, thoughtless actions can potentially derail a young person’s life.

While rare, a minor as young as 12 years old can be charged as an adult for specific crimes in Wisconsin. If your child is in trouble, it is important to keep his or her case in the juvenile court system whenever possible. When you choose an experienced Dodge County, WI juvenile criminal lawyer from Bucher Law Group, LLC, we will use our broad network of resources and our commitment to our clients to limit the impact on your child’s future.

Why Are 17-Year-Olds Prosecuted as Adults?

The legislation that moved 17-year-olds into adult court in Wisconsin went into effect on January 1, 1996. Ostensibly, the move was made to save resources and improve community safety. Since then, multiple studies have shown that trying 17-year-olds as adults provides no deterrent to overall crime and may actually even increase recidivism crime rates.

Further, youth sent to adult facilities are eight times more likely to commit suicide, two times more likely to be assaulted by staff, and 50 percent more likely to be attacked with a weapon than those in a juvenile facility. While the juvenile justice system focuses on rehabilitation and helping minors avoid a criminal future through diversion programs, counseling, and education, the adult juvenile system is solely focused on punishment.

Adults face harsher penalties, including longer sentences. When taken as a whole, the outcome of sending a 17-year-old to an adult prison is rarely positive and can permanently affect the lives of young adults. While there could be certain circumstances that warrant trying a 17-year-old as an adult, those circumstances are generally few and far between.

Having Criminal Charges Dropped or Securing a Not Guilty Verdict  

The criminal offenses most often committed by minors include:

• Underage drinking
• Truancy
• Minor in possession of alcohol
• DUI/OWI
• Traffic offenses
• Assault
• Drug possession
• Theft, vandalism, or other property crimes
• Shoplifting
• Internet-based crimes
• Sexual assault, including "consensual" sexual assault
• Possession of child pornography

A 17-year-old’s conviction for many of these criminal offenses can include a lengthy prison sentence, steep fines, and a permanent criminal record. While the juvenile court system typically seals or expunges juvenile criminal records, an adult conviction remains on a criminal record for life. This can make it extremely difficult for a young person to secure future employment, housing, or educational opportunities.

Because the consequences are so severe, it is imperative that parents immediately secure legal representation for their 17-year-old charged with a criminal offense. The attorney can immediately look for holes in the prosecutor’s case, errors by the police, or violations of the young adult’s constitutional rights. The best outcome is to have the charges dropped or to obtain a not guilty verdict to avoid having a single lapse in judgment follow a young person for the remainder of his or her life.

An experienced criminal defense lawyer can significantly affect the outcome of charges against a young person. It is important that the young person’s rights are fully protected from start to finish and that he or she understands the charges and the process. Even if the law does not allow the case to be heard in juvenile court, there are many ways to minimize the damage that an adult criminal conviction can have on a young adult.  

Contact a Waukesha County, WI Juvenile Crimes Lawyer

When your child is facing such serious criminal consequences, you need the most experienced, skilled Racine County, WI juvenile crimes attorney available. A juvenile crimes attorney who aggressively pursues the best outcome is extremely important. Attorney Bucher spent 20 years as the Waukesha County District Attorney and has litigated the most high-profile, complicated cases in the state of Wisconsin. Contact Bucher Law Group, LLC at 262-303-4916 to schedule your free consultation.