Letter to Michigan House of Representatives in support of the Juvenile Justice Bills
March 23, 2022
| The Honorable Jason Wentworth Speaker of the House Michigan House of Representatives 164 Capitol Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909 ++ |
The Honorable Donna Lasinski Democratic Leader Michigan House of Representatives 167 Capitol Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable Graham Filler Chair House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives N-1197 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909 + |
The Honorable Mike Mueller Vice Chair House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-985 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909 + |
| The Honorable David LaGrand Democratic Vice Chair House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives N-1094 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
The Honorable Steven Johnson Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives N-1091 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable Bronna Kahle Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives N-991 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
The Honorable Daire Rendon Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-1387 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable Ryan Berman Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-888 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
The Honorable Douglas Wozniak Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-885 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable TC Clements Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-990 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
The Honorable Tenisha Yancey Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-585 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable Krya Bolden Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives N-799 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
The Honorable Kara Hope Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-1086 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
| The Honorable Kelly Breen Member House Judiciary Committee Michigan House of Representatives S-887 House Office Building P.O. Box 30014 Lansing, MI 48909+ + |
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Dear Members of the Michigan House of Representatives:
We are writing to express our support for the bipartisan House Bills 4987-4991 (the “Juvenile Justice Bills”), all designed to eliminate juvenile justice fees. We respectfully ask that you schedule hearings to advance these bills, which do not change the policies for restitution, but instead focus on fees for the use of our court and justice system.
CEO Action for Racial Equity is a Fellowship of over 100 signatory organizations from across America, many of whom have significant presence in Michigan. Ranging from manufacturers to accountants, retailers and other suppliers, we mobilize business leaders with diverse expertise to advance public policy in four key areas – healthcare, education, economic empowerment and public safety. One of our key priorities is decriminalizing poverty, which includes the elimination of juvenile justice fees.
Under current Michigan law, counties charge fines and fees to youth and their families at every stage of the juvenile court process, including costs for probation services, court-appointed attorneys, diversion costs, DNA tests and other administrative costs related to running juvenile courts. Fines and fees in juvenile courts can quickly add up to thousands of dollars for a single family, many of whom are already struggling to make ends meet and have no way to pay.[1]
Juvenile court debt interferes with a young person’s ability to reintegrate with their community and limits future opportunities. Also, data shows that Black youth are referred to juvenile court and detained at much higher rates than white youths. For example, a 2020 study by the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice showed that Black youth represented 17% of ten to sixteen-year-olds in Michigan, but 37% of those arrested.[2] Over time, these juvenile court fees make it harder for businesses to hire the diverse and skilled workforce they need.
Furthermore, juvenile fees are not an efficient or reliable source of revenue and come at a high cost. Collection rates of juvenile justice fees can be very low. For example, in Macomb County, the average collection rate between 2017 and 2020 was only 4.4%[3]. Additionally, unpaid fines and fees can follow juveniles into adulthood, harming their credit and ability to rent housing, secure loans, and find employment.[4] These consequences act as a drag on our workforce and our economy, placing Michigan at a competitive disadvantage. The juvenile justice system is meant to rehabilitate adolescents, however, evidence shows that juvenile justice fees do not have the desired effect of rehabilitating youth. Rather, the results of these policies show that the lingering impact of unpaid fees have done the reverse and, in many cases, increased recidivism.[5]
The Juvenile Justice Bills provide Michigan with the opportunity to address policies that have created a cycle of debt and stress for children and their families who were already struggling financially. Our justice system policies should give our children the best chance of success in life, including the chance to participate in an inclusive and sustainable workforce, which can drive economic growth and development in Michigan.
CEO Action for Racial Equity is committed to working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to enact policies that bring equity, transparency, and accountability to our justice system. We urge you to hold a hearing and advance legislation that will eliminate juvenile justice fees in Michigan.
Thank you for your leadership.
Sincerely,
CEO Action for Racial Equity
CC:
Hon. Abraham Aiyash
Hon. Sarah Anthony
Hon. Felicia Brabec
Hon. Julie Brixie
Hon. Julie Calley
Hon. Brenda Carter
Hon. Tyrone Carter
Hon. Jim Elison
Hon. Rachel Hood
Hon. Padma Kuppa
Hon. Sara Lightner
Hon. Mari Manoogian
Hon. Laurie Phutsky
Hon. Ranjeev Puri
Hon. Julie Rogers
Hon. Tim Sneller
Hon. Bill Sowerby
Hon. Samantha Steckloff
Hon. Joe Tate
Hon. Shri Thanedar
Hon. Karen Whitsett
+
Citations
[1] Atasi Uppal. The High Cost of “Justice”: A Snapshot of Juvenile Court Fines and Fees in Michigan. August 2020. National Center for Youth Law.
[2] Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice, Michigan Racial and Ethnic Disparities Data, Fiscal Year 2020, Michigan 2020 Matrix, Percentage of Minorities at Stages of the Juvenile Justice System, All Reporting Counties 2020 (Tab: Stacked 100%)
[3] Ibid
[4] Atasi Uppal. The High Cost of “Justice”: A Snapshot of Juvenile Court Fines and Fees in Michigan. August 2020. National Center for Youth Law.
[5] Juvenile System Imposed Financial Penalties Increase the Likelihood of Recidivism in a Sample of Adolescent Offenders. Final Report submitted to the Juvenile Law Center, Philadelphia, PA, Piquero, A.R., & Jennings, W.G. (2016).
