Michigan Center for Youth Justice

08/21/2026

ICYMI: Washtenaw United interviewed our executive director Jason Smith on WEMU. In this interview, Jason talks about his history, the growth and challenges of the juvenile justice system in Michigan, and the importance of reforming the system.

Listen to the interview or read the transcript here:

When we think about a just society, we often think about laws, courts, and consequences. But what if we look at it through a humanist lens? True justice isn't about punishment. It's about recognizing the inherent dignity and infinite potential of every single human being. And nowhere is that test mo...

08/20/2026

It's Back to School Month, which makes it a good time to reflect on the role schools can play when it comes to supporting kids and keeping them from becoming involved with the justice system. As students head back to the classroom, we want to share our vision for care. Our vision shared here is aspirational, acknowledging that our ideas require robust state investment in schools, juvenile court partnerships with districts, parental collaboration, and more.

08/14/2026

Michigan used to automatically treat all 17-year-olds as adults, pushing thousands of minors into adult court. When youth were charged in adult court, it removed opportunities for alternatives to incarceration, stronger confidentiality rules, and generally more access to rehabilitative services. Treating minors as adults also can have lasting harmful impacts, including being five times more likely to be sexually assaulted and 36 times more likely to die by su***de.

MCCD worked closely with a coalition of partners to provide statewide advocacy to effectively raise the age from 17 to 18. MCCD’s 2014 report “Youth Behind Bars” formed the foundation for this campaign. Upon its passage in 2019, Michigan joined 46 other states in ending the practice. By raising the age from 17 to 18, Michigan was positioned to reduce the number of youth charged as adults nationwide from 76,000 to 40,000.

08/12/2026

This year marks 70 since MCYJ was first founded. It's a big milestone for us, and we look forward to celebrating it with our community of partners and supporters!

Join us at our gala to enjoy
🍃 delicious food,
🍃 fellowship with other advocates within the justice sphere,
🍃 Keynote Speaker Justice Kim Thomas,
🍃 an award ceremony honoring Dr Paul Elam, State Rep. Kara Hope, and Cole Williams,
🍃 and a silent auction, including trip packages and kind donations from a range of companies, organizations, and community members including tea sets, jewelry, pottery, zoo tickets, gift baskets, sports gear, and gift cards to your favorite local restaurants.

Tickets to our 70th Anniversary Gala are available on a sliding scale here: https://paybee.io/in-person-event/mcyjgala/4?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_bz9fppjaaz

08/11/2026

Last month, MCYJ officially launched a new public transparency tool that will help the public keep informed on incidents at Michigan youth care facilities. The Michigan Licensed Child Welfare Report Dashboard is designed to help users to parse through the thousands of reports generated among the hundreds of child caring institutions in Michigan.

Even with the dashboard, the amount of information available can seem intimidating. That's why we created an accompanying user guide so you can navigate the dashboard so you know how to find the information you are searching out, and with the most accuracy possible.

The dashboard is free to use and available online. You can find the dashboard and user guide here: https://www.miyouthjustice.org/out-of-home-placement-michigan?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_n9kymwfkhx

08/06/2026

MCYJ's 70th Anniversary Gala is happening this September, and on this milestone for our organization, we are excited to recognize three notable youth justice advocates for their contributions to the field.

Cole Williams is receiving the Youth Justice Advocate Award for an exceptional young person or parent of an impacted young person from Michigan who has personally advocated for young people within the justice system or has recently been part of broader system changes. Cole has lived experience with the challenges families face when navigating the juvenile justice system, and that has influenced him as the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Delta Project to lead a movement to transform how youth and families experience the juvenile justice system. Join us in celebrating Cole at our gala Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.

Get tickets to our 70th Anniversary Gala here: https://paybee.io/in-person-event/mcyjgala/4?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_ijxi2r7uia

08/05/2026

Youth with physical, learning, or intellectual disabilities are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. Last month was disability pride month, and MCYJ Intern Amanda Acey looked at ways we can better support youth with disabilities, starting in schools. Read it in full here: https://www.miyouthjustice.org/post/for-youth-with-disabilities-justice-advocacy-starts-in-school?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_5jeyikyvxr

08/04/2026

ICYMI: Last month, juvenile justice experienced a major win as bipartisan legislation that will help ensure every young person in Michigan has access to high-quality legal representation was signed into law. But how is it a victory?

MCYJ Executive Director Jason Smith teamed up with Michigan Indigent Defense Commission Executive Director Kristen Staley, and State Bar of Michigan Executive Director Peter Cunningham to explain why in layman's terms in this commentary published on Michigan Advance. Read it here: https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/what-juvenile-defense-means-for-michigan/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_uobh4xx0sl

07/30/2026

In collaboration with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, MCCD provided technical assistance in six rural counties receiving the In-Home Care Grant. The counties that received the grants were Marquette, Grand Traverse, Manistee, Benzie, Van Buren, and Leelanau. MCCD released a 2019 report detailing the program's impacts, conclusions, and recommendations, which you can find on our website.

07/30/2026

Juvenile justice experienced a major win as a long-awaited bipartisan bill to reform juvenile defense services became law just this month. This legislation represents progress in the justice system that we can all celebrate.

For an easy-to-understand explanation of this win, read this new commentary from MCYJ Executive Director Jason Smith, Executive Director Kristen Staley, and State Bar of Michigan Executive Director Peter Cunningham on Michigan Advance: https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/what-juvenile-defense-means-for-michigan/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=ap_iiujddqtes