Michigan

Michigan launched an IOYouth initiative in 2021 to develop data-driven recommendations to reform the state’s juvenile justice system. Michigan has one of the highest rates of detained youth in the country, especially for low-level, noncriminal behavior. CSG Justice Center staff performed a comprehensive examination of the state’s juvenile justice system. This involved data analysis as well as focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders, including youth and families most impacted by the system. The effort was conducted under the direction of the bipartisan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform.

On December 12, 2023, Michigan Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II signed into law the most ambitious juvenile justice reforms in the state to date: the bipartisan Justice for Kids and Communities bill package. The bills are designed to improve youth outcomes, strengthen public safety, and use state resources more efficiently. Some of the key provisions include incentivizing the use of state resources for community-based services in lieu of residential placement, requiring the use of objective decision-making tools, expanding the use of pre-court diversion, and eliminating most juvenile fines and fees.