Public News Service

The 2016 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Montgomery v. Louisiana required the resentencing of 364 Michigan youths serving life without parole, citing Eighth Amendment violations. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

MI high court re-evaluates life sentences for young offenders

The Michigan Supreme Court is set to reexamine the life without parole sentences of three men who have spent two decades in prison, convicted of …

Around 62% of Michigan households own a pet. Almost 42% of them own a dog and 31% own a cat. <br />(Drobot Dean/Adobe Stock)

MI bills aim to protect animals, one proposing tougher penalties for abusers

Animal lovers and activists in Michigan are celebrating proposed legislation to protect animals and save taxpayers money. Senate Bill 657 and Senate …

Time in prison limits parents' options for steady employment paying well enough to support their children. (Lightfield studios/Adobe Stock)<br />

MI dad imprisoned 17 years celebrates Father's Day with son

This weekend, Father's Day will be tough for children with a dad in jail or prison. More than 200,000 kids in Michigan have had an incarcerated …

Unlike some states, Michigan requires that citizens apply for a purchase license before buying a firearm. (MATTHEW)

Proposal would make MI State Capitol a 'gun-free zone'

If two Michigan lawmakers have their way, there will be fewer locations in the state where people are allowed to carry firearms. State Sen…

People released after serving long prison sentences are statistically very unlikely to reoffend.<br />(viperagp/Adobe Stock)

MI woman shares Mother's Day with mom incarcerated for decades

Mother's Day has a special place in the heart of a Michigan woman whose mother's incarceration kept them separated for decades. Jen Szénay of …

The Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, formed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and led by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II, took a comprehensive look at the state's system and released its report in July 2022 with 32 recommendations for improving Michigan's juvenile justice system. (Oleg Kozlovskiy/Adobe Stock)

Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Mental-health treatment is rare in jails and prisons, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (lagano/Adobe Stock)

Care, Not Criminalization: alternative to MI incarceration for mental health

March is National Criminal Justice Month, and advocates say people with mental illness are over-represented in jails and prisons. According to the …

The idea of vital documents being made ready in time for a person's re-entry to society began as a pilot program launched in September 2020 across four state prisons and has expanded across the entire Michigan Department of Corrections. (wolfhound911/Adobe Stock)

Vital document release to prevent Michigan recidivism

Most legally free Michiganders possess their vital records, but some people recently coming back to society after incarceration do not. A package of …

House Bill 4945 and House Bill 4946, sponsored by state Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, were voted out of the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee last week. (Adobe Stock)

MI lawmakers debate tougher gun laws for domestic violence convictions

Michigan state lawmakers are moving closer to restricting gun ownership for more people who have been convicted of domestic violence. The House …

Data from the Prison Policy Institute shows that of the approximately 1 million inmates in state prisons across the United States, one in eight, or 13%, is older than 55. (Adobe Stock)

Grant Awarded to Study Improving Health Care for Imprisoned Seniors

Longer sentences handed out for major crimes in Michigan and other states over the past few decades mean a larger portion of people in state and feder…

According to data from the CDC, the rate of gun deaths in Michigan increased 11% from 2010 to 2019, while the rate of gun suicides increased by 18%. (Adobe Stock)

MI Faith Leaders Meet with Lawmakers on Gun Violence Legislation

Michigan faith leaders are meeting with members of the state Legislature to push for action on gun safety. House leaders, including Rep. Joe Tate…

Statistics show that of the 11 million people incarcerated yearly, about 15% have been homeless. Conversely, around 48,000 people going into homeless shelters each year come from prisons or jails. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Policies Keep People with Criminal Records Out of Public Housing

A new report is calling for public housing authorities to change certain policies to prevent excluding people with criminal records. The Prison …

Law enforcement officials say Tuesday's deadly incident at Michigan State University is the 67th mass casualty event in the U.S. this year. (Adobe Stock)

MSU Shooting: Deja Vu for Two Survivors of School Gun Violence

The deadly shooting spree at Michigan State University Monday night was another tragic American event involving firearms. But for at least two MSU …

Only one county in Michigan - Genessee County - offers Election Day opportunities for eligible voters in jail. (WESTOCK/Adobe Stock)

MI Coalition Spotlights Need for Jail-Based Voting Improvements

Voting-rights groups in Michigan are working to increase awareness about and access to voting in jails. In Michigan, anyone not serving a prison …

Machelle Pearson, a formerly incarcerated Michigander, speaks at a virtual news conference spotlighting a proposed initiative for a system of

Petition: Allow Incarcerated Michiganders to Earn Time Off Sentences

A prospective ballot initiative in Michigan would allow people in prison to earn time off their sentences through work training, earning a college …

Resources will be available at Equality Michigan fairs this week, including peer-support opportunities. (ASDF/Adobe Stock)

Groups Spotlight Services for LGBTQ+ Victims of Crime in MI

It's National Crime Victims' Rights Week, a time to raise awareness of victims' rights and services. Equality Michigan is holding three community …

Breonna Taylor, second from left, is pictured with three of her sisters and a cousin. (De'Andrea Taylor)

Incarcerated Father of Breonna Taylor is a Family Man

By Stephen Silha for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Michigan News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

Breonna Taylor was one of Everette Taylor's six children. He's currently incarcerated in a Michigan prison. (De'Andrea Taylor and Ateonia Taylor)

Call to Release Breonna Taylor's Father from Michigan Prison

By Josh Puckett for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Lily Böhlke for Michigan News Connection reporting for the YES! Media-Public News Service …

More than 60% of people unable to post bail fall in the one-third of society with the lowest incomes, and more than 80% fall in the bottom half, according to a new report. (ivan kmit/Adobe Stock)

Report: Cash Bail Discriminates Against Low-Income, BIPOC Michiganders

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- A new report finds stark disparities in the impacts of cash bail in Michigan, which disproportionately keeps low-income residents …

A new Gallup survey shows more than 60% of Americans say they know

Juneteenth Declared National Holiday, Amidst Progress, Upheaval

LANSING, Mich. -- Juneteenth National Independence Day is now an official holiday, after President Joe Biden signed a bill Thursday, approved by both …

61% of SNAP recipients live in families with children. (Mike Mozart/Flickr)

Lifting SNAP Drug Felony Ban on the Table in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. - Some Michiganders convicted of drug offenses are facing lifelong punishments under the law that are not directly related to their …

The cities of Somerville, Mass., and San Francisco recently have forbidden local law enforcement from using facial-recognition surveillance.(Metamorworks/AdobeStock)

Congressional Hearing Echoes MI Push to Regulate Facial Recognition Surveillance

LANSING, Mich. – Privacy advocates spoke out Wednesday at a hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security …

Groups Protest Anti-Sanctuary-City Bills in MI Legislature

LANSING, Mich. - People fanned out across the state Capitol on Tuesday to protest two bills that would prevent Michigan cities and counties from …

Michigan is one of only four states that automatically prosecutes all 17-year-olds as adults.<br />(Wokandapix/Pixabay)

MI Groups Hope "Raise the Age" Gets Year-End Approval

LANSING, Mich. – With time short in the lame-duck legislative session, some policy groups and youth advocates are hopeful lawmakers will pass …

Michigan is one of only five states that require 17-year-olds be tried as adults. (Pixabay)

Will "Raise the Age" Legislation Get Movement in Michigan?

LANSING, Mich. - Seventeen-year-olds in Michigan can't vote, can't serve in the military or buy a pack of cigarettes. Yet under current law they can …

New research says men and women with the most college experience see lower rates of sexual assault than those who don't attend college. (kconnors/morguefile)

Report: Sexual Assault Even More Prevalent Off-Campus

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Michigan State University and other colleges have been in the spotlight with high profile cases of sexual assault. A new …

While the city's downtown is again thriving, the summer of 1967 forever marked Detroit. (mikerussell/wikimedia commons)

Looking Back and Forward: the 1967 Detroit Riots

DETROIT – This weekend marks 50 years since a police raid on an unlicensed Detroit club led to a massive weeklong uprising, and while the …

A new report says retailers spend more money protecting their stores from theft than the Department of Labor spends enforcing wage laws. (KOMUnews/Flickr)

Report: Wage Theft Penalties Weak Compared to Shoplifting Laws

LANSING, Mich. – Retail employers in Michigan and other states steal as much from their workers as shoplifters steal from stores, according to …

Michigan lawmakers return to work the second week of January. (MittenStatePhototog/Flickr)

2016 Lame-Duck Session Not So Lame in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. – At a time when political friction is high, Michigan state leaders are being applauded for coming together to help children and …

A report says often the only factor a parole board considers is a person's original crime, rather than the person's age or rehabilitation efforts. (Pixabay)

Report: Age Should Be a Factor in Youth Parole Decisions

LANSING, Mich. – U.S. Supreme Court rulings have made people who were sentenced to life without parole as juveniles eligible for release from …

A new report suggests youth prisons fail at turning young lives around. (Pixabay)

Factories of Failure? Report Calls for Closing Youth Prisons

LANSING, Mich. – Children should not be kept behind bars, according to a new report that examines the ineffectiveness of youth prisons in …

Polling shows strong support in Michigan for requiring background checks for every gun sale. (Pixabay)<br />

In Gun Violence Rankings, MI Fares Better than Other States

LANSING, Mich. - Michigan fared 33rd, better than many other states, in a new report that lists where each state stands in terms of gun violence…

Experts say excessive juvenile justice court costs can detour a young person from getting on the right track. (Pixabay)

Report Examines Impact of Excessive Court Fees on Youth

LANSING, Mich. – It's not just the consequences of their own actions that young people must face when involved in the juvenile justice system…

An event in Detroit tonight focuses on building equality, opportunity and prosperity in Michigan communities. (Night Out for Safety and Liberation)

Changing the Narrative of a Night Out for Safety

LANSING, Mich. - Communities in Michigan and other states will celebrate National Night Out tonight to promote safety through police-community …

Nationally, 67 federal, state, and local officers were killed on the job during the first half of 2016. (Greg Matthews/Flickr)

Law Enforcement Officer Deaths Up for 2016

LANSING, Mich. - The recent ambush attack that killed five Dallas, Texas, police officers contributed to a spike in deaths of those across the …

About 55 percent of children in the juvenile justice system had at one time also been involved in the child welfare system. (Pixabay)

CONNECT Act: Creating a Better Path Forward for Dual System Kids

LANSING, Mich. – Proposed federal legislation could help create a better path forward for some of Michigan's most vulnerable children. It's …

Some Michigan families are banding together to advocate for juvenile justice reform. (Citizens for Prison Reform)

Michigan Moms Step Up to Fight for Locked-Up Youth

LANSING, Mich. - Hundreds of Michigan mothers, along with other family members, feel the daily pain of having a child locked behind bars. A new …

The parent-child bond is difficult to maintain when a parent is incarcerated, which is the case for about 230,000 Michigan children. (Pixabay)

Report: One in Ten Michigan Children Has Parent Behind Bars

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan has the fifth highest number of children growing up with a parent in prison, which a new report finds has a …

Seventy-six Michigan children died as the result of abuse or neglect in 2014. (Pixabay)

Hundreds to Rally in Lansing for Child Abuse Prevention

LANSING, Mich. - Dozens of Michigan children die each year due to abuse or neglect, and today people from around the state will gather in Lansing to …

An executive action would expand mandatory background checks for firearm sales. (Michael Saechang/Flickr)

Executive Action on Guns: "A Move in the Right Direction"

LANSING, Mich. - Michiganders working to end gun violence are commending President Obama for taking steps to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous …

No matter the offense, 17-year-olds in Michigan are automatically tried as adults. (VIctor/Flickr)

Youth Locked Up: Getting Kids out of Adult Prison

LANSING, Mich. - Efforts to change the experiences of young people in the juvenile-justice system are picking up steam in Michigan. Lawmakers …

Michigan youth in the adult correction system can be placed in segregation where there are no limits for length of stay. (Michael Coghlan/Flickr)

Youth Locked-Up: Segregation Allowed in MI Facilities

LANSING, Mich. – With concerns about its damaging impact, states around the nation are reducing the use of solitary confinement for youth …

Michigan's animal protection laws are hailed in a new report. (hrikken/morguefile)

Michigan a Top Dog in Animal-Protection Laws

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan is a top dog for animal protection laws, according to a new report from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. The annual …

The FCC cut the cord on expensive prison phone rates. Credit: Melodi2/morguefile

FCC Rules to End "Outrageous" Prison Phone Rates

LANSING, Mich. - Phone calls to and from prison inmates in Michigan will cost a lot less starting next year, thanks to a decision Thursday by the …

Domestic violence occurs regardless of age, race or economic backgrond. Credit: Helga Webber/Flickr Creative Commons.

Domestic Violence: "Equal Opportunity Destroyer" in Michigan

LANSING, Mich. – It's often a hidden problem, but domestic violence occurs in Michigan homes more often than some may realize. Domestic …

Michigan's new Justice Policy Commission is getting to work reviewing sentencing and release policies, and representatives from the mental-health community are among those bringing their expertise to the table. Credit: Meesh/Flickr.

Mental Health Community Weighs in on MI Sentencing Reforms

LANSING, Mich. - A new commission is investigating criminal justice reform in Michigan, and mental-health workers are among those weighing in on ways …

Addiction experts say curbing Michigan's heroin epidemic will require multi-systemic solutions, including helping those in recovery become integrated into their community. Credit: Partha S. Sahana/Flickr.

Addressing the Heroin Epidemic in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – To combat Michigan's heroin epidemic, Governor Rick Snyder established the state's Prescription Drug and Opiate Abuse …

PHOTO: Reviewing the policies surrounding who belongs in prison and for how long could help the state save hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to a new report from the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending. Photo credit: larryfarr/morguefile.com.

Who Belongs Behind Bars? Report Looks At Safely Reducing MI Prison Population

LANSING, Mich. - More people in prison doesn't mean more crime, but it does mean the state needs to rethink its policies, according to a new report …

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MI: Criminal Justice