juvenile offenders

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled Thursday that mandatory life-without-parole sentences for 19- and-20-year-old defendants violate the state Constitution. We have more from Rick Pluta.

More than 250 felons sent to prison for life with no chance of parole for crimes committed when they were 18 years old must have their sentences reviewed. That decision was released Wednesday by the Michigan Supreme Court. We have more from Rick Pluta.

14th District State Senator Democrat Sue Shink says she's looking at where she should be putting effort to effectively get legislation passed in a divided Legislature. WEMU’s Kevin Meerschaert reports.

A bill on its way to Governor Gretchen Whitmer would help ensure that juveniles accused of crimes have the same right to an attorney as adult defendants. We have more from Rick Pluta.

As you might imagine, those who are returning to the community after a period of incarceration face a good deal of prejudice and discrimination. That makes finding a job difficult and can result in higher recidivism rates. Billy Cole and Bryan Foley are working to not only change that but are trying to de-escalate community violence by addressing trauma and other factors that lead to incarceration. Billy and Bryan head an organization called Supreme Felons, and they share their personal stories that led them to professionally try and keep people out of the cycle of incarceration with WEMU's David Fair.

A new state report on Michigan’s court system is highlighting how its approach to juvenile justice changed in 2023. Michigan Public Radio’s Colin Jackson has more.

Defendants sentenced to life-without-parole for crimes committed as teenagers have a chance at freedom under U.S. Supreme Court decisions. But they can be ordered to pay restitution as part of any resentencing under a decision Monday from the Michigan Supreme Court. We have more from Rick Pluta.

The Michigan Supreme Court has been asked to decide whether sneakers and flip flops can be considered dangerous weapons for the purpose of charging a teenager with assault. The court heard arguments in the case Wednesday. Rick Pluta reports.

The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that inmates serving sentences of life without parole for crimes committed as 18-year-olds are entitled to resentencing hearings. We have more from Rick Pluta.

The elimination of court fines and fees, diversion from detention, and more resources. As Colin Jackson reports, those are all part of a new juvenile justice package signed into law Tuesday.