No White Youth in DOC Placement: What the Data from Milwaukee County Cannot Hide
Early this morning, I came across a Facebook post that directed me to the Milwaukee County Youth and Family Services dashboard, which provides data on youth currently in county detention. At first, I was encouraged to see this level of data transparency. But that feeling quickly shifted to alarm: out of 109 youth in detention, not a single one was identified as white.
According to the 2020 Census, Milwaukee County’s population is 48.4% white, 25.6% Black, 17.2% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.3% multiracial. While I am deeply aware that the pipeline to mass incarceration begins with our youth—especially Black and Brown youth—the complete absence of white youth in detention is still staggering.
I shared this data on Facebook, and the discussion that followed was eye-opening for many. But before making any broader claims, I wanted to be sure I was interpreting the dashboard correctly. I sent an email to the county administrator seeking clarification, and to my surprise, I received a phone call back within minutes. The administrator confirmed that I was reading the data accurately. They also shared more context about the dashboard’s development and ongoing updates relating to youth detention in the county.
This level of responsiveness was appreciated—but it made the data no less troubling. The dashboard reveals a deeply disturbing truth: of the 109 youth currently detained, not one is white. This is not just a racial disparity—it is a deliberate and violent pattern that marks Black youth, especially Black boys, as threats to be contained rather than children to be nurtured. Youth incarceration in Milwaukee County overwhelmingly targets Black children, while white youth—despite making up nearly half of the county’s population—are nowhere to be found in detention. This is not a statistical oversight. It is the result of a system that sees Blackness as inherently dangerous and treats Black childhood as inherently criminal. From who is stopped and surveilled, to who is charged and locked up, every stage of the process reflects the deep, structural racism that drives the juvenile justice system. This isn’t just about data—it’s about a society that refuses to protect Black youth as youth.
The data also makes clear that youth detention in Milwaukee is not population-proportionate—and more specifically, that Black male youth are being disproportionately targeted by the system. Justice is not being applied equitably; Black boys are far more likely to be criminalized, surveilled, and detained, even when engaging in the same behaviors as their white peers. This is not a reflection of individual actions, but of a system that routinely treats Black childhood as a threat. These numbers aren’t just statistics—they are evidence of intentional harm. They force us to confront the question: who gets to be seen as a child, and who is treated as disposable?
But it’s equally critical to acknowledge what the data doesn’t tell us. It does not explain why these disparities persist or which specific decisions, actors, or institutions are contributing to them. We don’t know how many white youth were diverted or given alternative resolutions, nor how different neighborhoods and schools might be policed or surveilled. The dashboard doesn’t show us the conditions of confinement for the detained youth, what kind of support or services they are receiving, or what their outcomes look like after detention.
UPDATE ON 4/25/25
Let me be clear: this dashboard does not include data from the Vel R. Phillips Youth Detention Center. While it notes that youth in group homes, out-of-home placements, and residential treatment are excluded, the title misleadingly reads “Total Youth in Milwaukee County Youth Detention Facility.” This gives the false impression that the data reflects detention—it does not.
Dashboards are powerful tools when used responsibly, but clarity matters. So, I’m urging two immediate changes:
Revise the dashboard so it accurately reflects what is and isn’t being reported—including correcting the misleading title.
Add a public history of the dashboard’s creation. It was authored by Supervisors Martin and Clancy in 2022, and the County and quietly launched it in March 2025 without public announcement.