Release or delivery from custody
Wis. Stat. § 938.20
in effect(2) Release of juvenile.
(ag) Except as provided in pars. (b) to (g), a person taking a juvenile into custody shall make every effort to release the juvenile immediately to the juvenile’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian.
(b) If the juvenile’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian is unavailable, unwilling, or unable to provide supervision for the juvenile, the person who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile to a responsible adult after counseling or warning the juvenile as may be appropriate.
(c) If the juvenile is 15 years of age or older, the person who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile without immediate adult supervision after counseling or warning the juvenile as may be appropriate.
(cm) If the juvenile has violated a condition of community supervision or aftercare supervision, a condition of the juvenile’s placement in a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility or a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth, or a condition of the juvenile’s participation in the intensive supervision program under s. 938.534, the person who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile to the department of corrections or county department, whichever has supervision over the juvenile.
(d) If the juvenile is a runaway, the person who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile to a home under s. 48.227.
(e) If a juvenile is taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1) (d) 10., the law enforcement officer who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile under par. (ag) or (b) or, if the school board of the school district in which the juvenile resides has established a youth service center under s. 118.16 (4) (e), may deliver that juvenile to that youth service center. If the juvenile is delivered to a youth service center, personnel of the youth service center may release the juvenile to the juvenile’s parent, guardian or legal custodian, or release the juvenile to the juvenile’s school, after counseling the juvenile as may be appropriate. If the juvenile is released to the juvenile’s school, personnel of the youth service center shall immediately notify the juvenile’s parent, guardian and legal custodian that the juvenile was taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1) (d) 10. and released to the juvenile’s school.
(f) If a juvenile is taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1m), the person who took the juvenile into custody may release the juvenile under par. (ag), (b) or (e) or to the juvenile’s school administrator, as defined in s. 125.09 (2) (a) 3., or a school employee designated by the school administrator. If a juvenile is released to a school administrator or the school administrator’s designee under this paragraph, the school administrator or designee shall do all of the following:
1. Immediately notify the juvenile’s parent, guardian or legal custodian that the juvenile was taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1m) and released to the school administrator or his or her designee.
2. Make a determination of whether the juvenile is a child at risk, as defined in s. 118.153 (1) (a), unless that determination has been made within the current school semester. If a juvenile is determined to be a child at risk under this subdivision, the school administrator shall provide a program for the juvenile according to the plan developed under s. 118.153 (2) (a).
3. Provide the juvenile and his or her parent or guardian with an opportunity for educational counseling to determine whether a change in the juvenile’s program or curriculum, including any of the modifications specified in s. 118.15 (1) (d), would resolve the juvenile’s truancy problem, unless the juvenile and his or her parent or guardian have been provided with an opportunity for educational counseling within the current school semester.
(g) If a juvenile is taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1) (d) 10. and is not released under par. (ag), (b) or (e) or if a juvenile is taken into custody under s. 938.19 (1m) and is not released under par. (ag), (b), (e) or (f), the person who took the juvenile into custody shall release the juvenile without immediate adult supervision after counseling or warning the juvenile as may be appropriate.
(3) Notification to parent, guardian, legal custodian, Indian custodian of release. If the juvenile is released under sub. (2) (b) to (d) or (g), the person who took the juvenile into custody shall immediately notify the juvenile’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, and Indian custodian of the time and circumstances of the release and the person, if any, to whom the juvenile was released. If the juvenile is not released under sub. (2), the person who took the juvenile into custody shall arrange in a manner determined by the court and law enforcement agencies for the juvenile to be interviewed by the intake worker under s. 938.067 (2). The person who took the juvenile into custody shall make a statement in writing with supporting facts of the reasons why the juvenile was taken into physical custody and shall give a copy of the statement to the intake worker and to any juvenile 10 years of age or older. If the intake interview is not done in person, the report may be read to the intake worker.
(4) Delivery to hospital or physician. If the juvenile is believed to be suffering from a serious physical condition which requires either prompt diagnosis or prompt treatment, the person taking the juvenile into physical custody, the intake worker or other appropriate person shall deliver the juvenile to a hospital as defined in s. 50.33 (2) (a) and (c) or physician’s office.
(5) Emergency detention of juvenile. If the juvenile is believed to have a mental illness or developmental disability or to be drug dependent and exhibits conduct that constitutes a substantial probability of physical harm to the juvenile or to others, or a very substantial probability of physical impairment or injury to the juvenile exists due to the impaired judgment of the juvenile and if the standards of s. 51.15 are met, the person taking the juvenile into physical custody, the intake worker, or other appropriate person shall proceed under s. 51.15.
(6) Delivery of intoxicated juvenile. If the juvenile is believed to be an intoxicated person who has threatened, attempted or inflicted physical harm on himself or herself or on another and is likely to inflict such physical harm unless committed, or is incapacitated by alcohol or another drug, the person taking the juvenile into physical custody, the intake worker or other appropriate person shall proceed under s. 51.45 (11).
(7) Duties of intake worker.
(a) When a juvenile who is possibly involved in a delinquent act is interviewed by an intake worker, the intake worker shall inform the juvenile of his or her right to counsel and the right against self-incrimination.
(b) The intake worker shall review the need to hold the juvenile in custody and shall make every effort to release the juvenile from custody as provided in par. (c). The intake worker shall base his or her decision as to whether to release the juvenile or to continue to hold the juvenile in custody on the criteria under s. 938.205 and criteria established under s. 938.06 (1) or (2).
(c) The intake worker may release the juvenile as follows:
1. To a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian, or to a responsible adult if the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian is unavailable, unwilling, or unable to provide supervision for the juvenile, counseling or warning the juvenile as may be appropriate; or, if the juvenile is 15 years of age or older, without immediate adult supervision, counseling or warning the juvenile as may be appropriate.
1m. In the case of a juvenile who has violated a condition of community supervision or aftercare supervision, a condition of the juvenile’s placement in a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility or a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth, or a condition of the juvenile’s participation in the intensive supervision program under s. 938.534, to the department of corrections or county department, whichever has supervision of the juvenile.
2. In the case of a runaway juvenile, to a home under s. 48.227.
(d) If the juvenile is released from custody, the intake worker shall immediately notify the juvenile’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, and Indian custodian of the time and circumstances of the release and the person, if any, to whom the juvenile was released.
(8) Notification that held in custody.
(a) If a juvenile is held in custody, the intake worker shall notify the juvenile’s parent, guardian, legal custodian, and Indian custodian of the reasons for holding the juvenile in custody and of the juvenile’s whereabouts unless there is reason to believe that notice would present imminent danger to the juvenile. The parent, guardian, legal custodian, and Indian custodian shall also be notified of the time and place of the detention hearing required under s. 938.21, the nature and possible consequences of the hearing, the right to present and cross-examine witnesses at the hearing, and, in the case of a parent or Indian custodian of an Indian juvenile who is the subject of an Indian juvenile custody proceeding, as defined in s. 938.028 (2) (b), the right to counsel under s. 938.028 (4) (b). If the parent, guardian, legal custodian, or Indian custodian is not immediately available, the intake worker or another person designated by the court shall provide notice as soon as possible.
(b) If the juvenile is alleged to have committed a delinquent act, the juvenile shall receive the same notice about the detention hearing as the parent, guardian, or legal custodian. The intake worker shall notify both the juvenile and the juvenile’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian.
(c) If a juvenile who has violated a condition of community supervision or aftercare supervision, a condition of the juvenile’s placement in a Type 2 juvenile correctional facility or a Type 2 residential care center for children and youth, or a condition of the juvenile’s participation in the intensive supervision program under s. 938.534 is held in custody, the intake worker shall also notify the department of corrections or county department, whichever has supervision over the juvenile, of the reasons for holding the juvenile in custody, of the juvenile’s whereabouts, and of the time and place of the detention hearing required under s. 938.21.
Source: WI Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/938.20Fetched: 10/7/2026