For Immediate Release
October 10, 2019
Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517-487-5436
LANSING—The Michigan League for Public Policy issued the following statement on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage today of Raise the Age legislation to change Michigan’s age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 years old to 18. Right now, Michigan is one of only four states in the nation that still automatically treat all justice-involved 17-year-olds as adults, regardless of their offense. This puts these kids in danger physically, mentally and emotionally, and harms their educational, professional and financial opportunities.
The Michigan League for Public Policy began as the Michigan Conference of Charities and Corrections and has been working on children’s issues and corrections reform since 1912 (yes, really!). Raise the Age is a long-awaited change for Michigan kids and has been a big focus of the League and our Kids Count work, and we’re excited to see these bills getting closer to the finish line. The statement can be attributed to Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Gilda Z. Jacobs.
“Today’s action and the agreed-upon Raise the Age compromise is a tremendous win for Michigan kids and their families. We want to thank Senate Judiciary Chair Lucido and House Judiciary Chair Filler, Senate Majority Leader Shirkey and Speaker Chatfield and all of the bill sponsors for staying dedicated to this issue and being willing to negotiate and compromise to do what’s best for Michigan’s kids. By fixing this outdated and ineffective law, one of the very last of its kind in the country, policymakers can improve child well-being, kids’ academic and career opportunities, public safety, racial equity, the future of our local communities and economies, and more. Raise the Age is exactly the type of issue that all elected officials should be able to come together on, and we’re pleased to see lawmakers making that a reality today. We expect that bipartisan momentum to continue until these bills reach the governor’s desk, and we hope she will act quickly to sign them into law when they do.
“The compromise today did not end up addressing the broader question of where all juvenile offenders should be housed, regardless of their offense. We will keep advocating for that change in the future, and are confident legislators will be open to continuing that conversation.”
BACKGROUND:
Raise the Age- Key Points of Legislative Compromise:
The compromise on Raise the Age works out the differences between separate House and Senate passed packages from this spring and will:
- Maintain current law regarding youth in adult facilities. Earlier discussions included a proposal to remove all incarcerated youth from adult facilities, even if they had committed more violent or severe offenses.
- Modify the funding language in the House package. The state will fund counties at 100% for all 17-year-olds instead of an earlier proposal for a 50%-50% funding split between counties and the state for justice-involved juveniles of all ages. The funding proposal will be reevaluated in three years.
- House the Raise the Age Fund in the Department of Health and Human Services will instead of the State Court Administrative Office.
Raise the Age- What’s at Stake (See League Raise the Age Fact Sheet):
- Youth incarcerated in adult facilities more likely to be physically attacked, sexually assaulted and attempt suicide than young people in the juvenile justice system.
- Youth exiting the adult system are 34 percent more likely to reoffend, reoffend sooner, and escalate to more violent offenses than their counterparts in the juvenile justice system.
- Kids in adult facilities are 26 percent less likely to graduate from high school.
- Kids in adult facilities lose over 5 months of school on average each year.
- Youth prosecuted as adults earn 40 percent less over their lifetime than youth in the juvenile justice system.
- Adult convictions lead to lifelong barriers in housing, employment and education.
- Kids of color are overrepresented. Despite making up only 23 percent of the total 17-year-old population, kids of color make up 53 percent of the 17-year-olds entering the state corrections system.
- Juvenile courts offer highly effective diversion and community-based programs not accessible in adult court.
- Because the majority of 17-year-olds have nonviolent charges, they would likely respond well to community-based options that are designed to keep kids in school, address underlying treatment needs and engage the whole family.
FOR ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
League Testimony on House Bills 4133-4146 (as introduced)
OpEd in Support of Raise the Age by Former Detroit Lion Anquan Boldin and Devin and Jason McCourty
League’s Raise the Age Page (Including a fact sheet and personal stories from parents and justice-involved youth.)
League Owner’s Manual Priority: Give Kids the Keys to a Strong Future
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The Kids Count in Michigan project is part of a broad national effort to improve conditions for children and their families. Funding for the project is provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, Steelcase Foundation, Michigan Education Association, American Federation of Teachers Michigan, Ruth Mott Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, DTE Energy Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund, and the Battle Creek Community Foundation. More state and local data are available at the Kids Count Data Center, www.datacenter.kidscount.org.
The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
