We covered what a juvenile lifer is in a previous blog, you can find that information as well as a more detailed history of how we got to this point here. If you weren’t currently aware, the state of Michigan is undergoing an overhaul as to how juveniles charged with…
The county where the city of Battle Creek sits just launched a new juvenile diversion program. Called ASPIRE, the program is aimed at juveniles who are accused of misdemeanor crimes who are users of drugs, alcohol and even tobacco. The recent rise of vaping has led to a bigger focus…
What Is A Juvenile Lifer? A juvenile lifer is a person under the age of 17 who was tried and convicted as an adult for a serious crime in which they were sentenced to a mandatory life term in prison. The United States is the only country in the world…
Michigan is known as one of the most unforgiving states for those charged with juvenile crimes. Unlike most states, our state charges 17-year-old children as adults when a criminal act is charged. New legislation could provide relief for those that have not reached the age of majority. One of the…
One statute that prosecutors across the state of Michigan are at odds over is MCL 750.543m, which is defined as “Making Terrorist Threat or False Report of Terrorism.” This statute carries a 20-year felony and/or a $20,000 fine and states explicitly that intent or capability is not a valid defense.…
While the Holmes Youthful Training Act (HYTA) gives young people in the state of Michigan a chance to protect their future, the key to a successful HYTA argument often comes in the petition brought before the court. To explain the key to this petition, we had a chance to speak…
No parent wants to learn their child has been accused of shoplifting, however it isn’t uncommon for minors (those younger than 17) to commit this crime. It can be very enticing to a young girl to stick a tube of lipstick in her pocket or purse; a young man just…
Recently there have been several reports of threats made against high schools in Ingham County and surrounding areas in Michigan. According to news reports, 17-year-old Jake Johnson was charged with making threats against Williamston High School last week. On April 25th students at Berkley High School were dismissed after the…
In November it was announced the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) was filing suit against the state of Michigan over the state’s unclear standards regarding denial of parole to juvenile lifers. In 2012 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory sentences of life without the possibility of parole for juvenile…
Toward the end of April this year, what some have described as the “largest criminal justice reform package in U.S. history” was passed in the House, a package of bills that would mean 17-year-olds who allegedly commit certain crimes would not be automatically treated as adults in the criminal justice…