It’s time to stop hitting the snooze button when talking about our state budget and criminal justice reform. The insidious phenomenon of mass incarceration in this state requires immediate attention. Currently 1 in 4 children in Michigan live in poverty, and half of children have parents with criminal records. Evidence shows that people with criminal records have a harder time finding employment and obtaining housing among other negative economic outcomes. Once in the legal system, there are financial snares that keep people locked up for being poor, not their flight risk or danger to the community. These include fines and fees and secured money bail.
Negotiations are underway on the 2017 state budget, and lawmakers must look at the tools we now have at our disposal to reduce the jail and prison population. This includes focusing on treatment and prevention, diversion, and rehabilitation programs that can reduce costs while producing results that include incarcerated individuals returning to their families to be productive members of society.
In Ferguson, Missouri, a U.S. Justice Department report from March 2015 uncovered a rigged revenue system in which the corrections system relied on fines and fees to continue operating. It also showed that police administrators pressured local police officers to place as many fines as possible on individuals, who were disproportionately African-American, in order to raise funds for operation. This twisted incentive system, removed from concerns of public safety, was effectively designed to validate its own existence. This caused unequal harm for decades on the African-American population in the City of Ferguson and was a contributing factor in the racial tensions in that community.
While Ferguson was an extreme example of justice gone wrong, many places including Michigan also rely heavily on criminal justice system revenues for funding. Many in Michigan, including at the Supreme Court level, have been diligently working to modernize this issue with a report on fines and fees published in April 2015 to help build consensus on determining an individual’s ability to pay.
Unfortunately, without seriously examining the state’s corrections budget along with revenue sources, it is difficult to eliminate the problem of high and unnecessary court fines and fees. Cuts in revenue sharing continue to place pressure on localities to find alternative ways to raise revenue. Hopefully, we can develop a system where no one who is unable to pay is locked up, and fines and fees are not imposed primarily to generate revenue. Ultimately, a system that is adequately funded and prioritizes safety would lower costs by reducing the jail and prison population, and provide services like mental health and education resources to foster safe, healthy and productive communities.
— Seema Singh
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.
Jacob Kaplan 
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. 
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.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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.
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.
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.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
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.
