Insider Intelligence

This week, the Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform met to approve a comprehensive set of recommendations they believe will transform the state’s juvenile justice system. The approved recommendations establish a statewide blueprint for aligning policies and practices across the juvenile justice continuum, including: Expanding diversion opportunities for youth who are not a public […]

This week, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist announced the creation of the Jobs Court program, which would put residents accused of low-level, nonviolent offenses in good-paying jobs in order to reduce recidivism and help businesses with worker shortages. Lt. Governor Gilchrist was joined by Attorney General Dana Nessel to launch the program at Goodwill Industries of […]

A person could be eligible for an expungement of convictions for a first violation of operating while intoxicated (OWI) under legislation signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The new laws give those with OWI convictions the option to seek expungement of their first offence five years after probation ends. Applicants must submit a petition […]

Through executive order, Governor Gretchen Whitmer created a council to facilitate, assist with, monitor, and evaluate the implementation of jail reform legislation. Last December, the legislature passed a series of reforms recommended by the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration. The newly created Council will focus on those changes that were signed […]

This week, the House passed two bills allowing a person to receive an expungement for a first offense of driving under the influence. The package was introduced on a bipartisan manner, by Representative Joe Bellino (R-Monroe) and Representative Tenisha Yancey (D-Harper Woods). The bills received bipartisan support in the House. The legislation does not apply […]

This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bipartisan bill package reforming the state’s criminal expungement laws. Under the new laws, a person can have a marijuana offense set aside if it would not have been a crime if committed after December 6, 2018 when recreational marijuana use by adults became legal in Michigan. Additionally, it […]

Using the recommendations of the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration, a bipartisan group of legislators developed a plan of action. There are several measures within the plan that aim to reform the criminal justice system in Michigan, including: Reclassify many traffic misdemeanors as civil infractions. Eliminate license suspensions for violations of […]

Following months of work, the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration delivered their report to the state legislature. The final report includes 18 major recommendations, which they hope will make the state a leader in criminal justice reform. Upon officially receiving the report, House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering) and Senate Majority Leader […]