A new bill has been introduced to Wisconsin lawmakers that would allow the victims of sexual assault to petition the court for a lifetime restraining order against their convicted perpetrator. “Kayleigh’s Law” was recently presented in both the House and the Senate and, if approved, would give victims the ability to obtain a restraining order against their assaulter even after the assaulter’s probation has ended. The law was recently signed into law in Arizona, the first state in the country to do so.

Sexual Assault Victims

According to state statistics, 20 percent of Wisconsin high school students say that someone has forced them to engage in sexual acts they did not want to participate in. Nationally, one in three women and one in six men have been victims of sexual violence, and 90 percent of victims know the person who sexually assaulted them.

Under current Wisconsin law, adult victims can only obtain a restraining order against their assaulter for up to four years. Child victims can obtain a restraining order against their assaulter for up to two years. In some situations, the restraining order may be extended up to 10 years for an adult victim and up to five years for a child, but only if there is a substantial risk to the victim.

Many criminal cases are “solved” by police because of DNA evidence. DNA is a complex molecule that contains an individual’s unique genetic code. With the exception of identical twins, no two people share the same genetic code. 

By Wisconsin law, if you are arrested for a violent crime, police are required to take a sample of your DNA. A new law recently signed by the governor extends the sample requirement to anyone who moves to Wisconsin who has previously been placed on parole, probation, or extended supervision in another state.

DNA Requirement

In 2015, Wisconsin passed a law that made it mandatory for any person arrested for a violent felony to submit their DNA to be stored in the Wisconsin DNA Databank. This law applies to anyone who is arrested for arson, burglary, child abuse, homicide, robbery, sexual assault, and other violent crimes. These samples are not allowed to be processed unless and until a judge rules that police have probable cause a crime was committed.

Last month, several Wisconsin state lawmakers introduced a handful of bills that target police and justice reform. One of the lawmakers who introduced the bills referred to as the “Enough Is Enough” package, says the proposed legislation is meant to build on and not negate the proposals that came out of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ Task Force on Racial Disparities.

Enough Is Enough

The Speaker’s task force and the Enough Is Enough package are in response to the demands for police reform from many Wisconsin residents who have spent the last year protesting. The proposed changes focus on what type of training police officers should and should not have, as well as who should be making decisions when it comes to disciplinary procedures for police misconduct and officer-involved deaths.

Highlights of some of the proposed training changes for officers include:

When a person has a criminal record, that history can significantly impact their ability to find employment, housing, and even education. This is especially true for people who committed criminal acts when they were juveniles. Many states allow that juvenile record to be expunged, depending on the circumstances of the crime. When a criminal record is expunged, it removes arrests and/or convictions as if they never occurred and not even the courts, prosecutors, or law enforcement have access to the record.

Wisconsin has a very limited juvenile expungement process and thanks to a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, that process may be even more difficult.

Juvenile Justice and Expungement

It has been well documented in study after study that a teenager’s brain is not fully developed, especially in the prefrontal cortex of the brain. This is the part of the brain that controls a person’s ability to delay and reflect on a decision. This is why many teens often will act before they think about what they are doing. This area also controls impulsivity, something that many teens have a hard time with. The prefrontal cortex also controls a teen’s ability to consider the consequences of their actions, as well as buckle to peer pressure.

Most people are pulled over by a police officer at one point or another, even if it is just for something small, like forgetting to use a turn signal. A single traffic stop may not have serious consequences, but in Wisconsin, each time you are issued a traffic ticket by an officer, you face more points accumulating on your driving record. If you have too many points, you could eventually have your driving privileges taken away from you. If you have gotten a ticket or you have been pulled over recently, you should speak with a Wisconsin traffic ticket attorney who can help you understand your options.

How Does the Point System Work?

Like most other states, Wisconsin uses a point system to keep track of each driver’s record in an attempt to keep dangerous drivers off of the road. Every time you are issued a traffic ticket, you will also be issued a specific number of points on your driving record for that ticket. More serious violations result in more points. Some of the most common traffic violations and their assigned number of points include:

• Operating a vehicle with a revoked or suspended license: 3 points

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