DETROIT — Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist signed a bipartisan bill package Tuesday reforming the juvenile justice system in Michigan.
The signing comes two years after the creation of the Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform. The Michigan Executive Office of the Governor says the Task Force discovered about half of the state’s juvenile court cases in 2019 concerned repeated absences from school or property-related crimes.
We’re told many of those crimes ended with detention or imprisonment, and that inconsistencies were made from the assortment of resources available.
State officials say the Task Force made 32 recommendations to reform the juvenile justice system, many of which will go into effect with Tuesday’s signing.
Those changes include:
- Implementing risk and mental health assessment to determine if a juvenile offender should be kept out of the system and placed in diversion programs for a maximum of three months.
- Granting county governments the ability to pay for community service using the Child Care Fund. These services prevent additional offenses and pave the way for more favorable outcomes.
- Reduces fees for families of juvenile offenders.
- Renaming the Office of the Children’s Ombudsman to “Office of the Child Advocate.”
- Makes sure courts take a number of factors into consideration before choosing to try juveniles as adults, such as mental and emotional health, developmental maturity and others.
- Ensuring children from low-income families are properly represented.
“Every young person deserves the chance to be successful. This historic legislation will hold our youth accountable while changing how they experience the justice system, expanding the available tools to create better outcomes, lower costs for families by eliminating fees, and ensure our juvenile justice system uses consistent research-based practices,” says Gilchrist. “It shows Michigan youth that we have their backs, that they matter, and that we believe in them and their futures. Governor Whitmer and I are grateful for everyone who helped us get this done, and we will continue to stand tall so more young people in Michigan can build a bright future.”
Attorney General Dana Nessel responded favorably to the bills’ signing with the following statement:
“As prosecutors, rehabilitation must be our top priority for children in our criminal justice system. These new laws lean on smart investments, best practices and innovative tools to carry this goal forward. Building a support network that can offer Michigan youth the highest likelihood of finding a stable and successful life outside of the criminal justice system is a priority of mine, and I’m grateful that the legislature and Governor have now addressed this need.”