DA Chisholm Says A Lack of "Immediate Consequences" for Juveniles Part of Crime Problem

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm says there's a lack of "immediate consequences" for juvenile offenders. He said this to the City of Milwaukee's Public Safety Committee Friday.

Chisholm was joined by several members of his office as they outlined what they are doing to prosecute offenders.

Chisholm's office also outlined how they face a challenge in prosecuting non-fatal shootings in Milwaukee. They say in 2015, they were able to charge just over 23% of the non-violent shooting in the city. They say that's mainly because victims decide not to cooperate with investigations due to personal relationships, their own criminal activity, or intimidation.

Another challenge Chisholm says he faces is a frequent loss of prosecutors. He says his staff members are commonly poached by the Office of the City Attorney, the State Department of Justice, and U.S. Attorney's Office. Chisholm says that's because all three of those offices are able to offer thousands of dollars in additional salary.

Milwaukee Alderman Mark Borkowski challenged Chisholm several times to offer a plan for change. Chisholm said, "It's clearly his intent to exploit the emotions of these circumstances, and you just have to resist that."