A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance
I had my first formal interaction with the police when I was 14 and got caught for a particularly extensive and expensive act of vandalism. The incident was thankfully settled out of court, and while I was ordered to pay restitution, I was able to stay out of the juvenile justice system.
At the time, I thought this outcome was thanks to good luck and a good lawyer. But I now understand that my situation was significantly benefited by my racial and socioeconomic privilege, and other kids in similar situations have ended up with much different outcomes—and longer lasting repercussions. And the recognition of the inequity and unfairness of that fact is something that drives my passion for juvenile justice reform today.
Luckily, the awareness of the need to improve and reform our juvenile justice system continues to increase, and the opportunity for policy change remains ripe.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has named October 2021 as Youth Justice Action Month, continuing the recognition of youth justice that she’s done every October of her time in the governor’s office. And for those who are into the parlance of proclamations, there’s a noticeable nuance: While October 2019 was “Youth Justice Awareness Month,” the governor has declared October 2020 and 2021 “Youth Justice Action Month.”
And she’s been backing it up with additional actions of her own. This summer, Gov. Whitmer created the Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, which will focus on analyzing Michigan’s juvenile justice system and “recommending proven practices and strategies for reform grounded in data, research, and fundamental constitutional principles.” The Task Force is a diverse, bipartisan group that includes members of the executive branch, legislature, judiciary, and juvenile justice community, including several of the Michigan League for Public Policy’s partners. The League is also part of a group of advocacy organizations focused on youth justice and youth development that will work with the Task Force.
The League and our Kids Count in Michigan Project have been focused on reforming the juvenile justice system to better support Michigan kids and families, both through improved data collection and policy reform. We were proud to be a partner in pushing for Michigan to “Raise the Age” of juvenile jurisdiction and keep 17-year-olds out of the adult criminal justice system as much as possible. We also helped advocate for the improved and automated expungement of juvenile records as part of a number of positive criminal justice reforms passed last legislative session.
The current legislative session includes a number of other positive juvenile justice reforms that the League and our partners would like to see passed.
The Michigan Center for Youth Justice is leading the charge on House Bills 4987-4991, important bipartisan legislation to eliminate juvenile court debt. Juvenile justice debt assessments and collections are inconsistently imposed, fiscally ineffective, exacerbate poverty for indigent families, and disproportionately impact families of color. In addition, the practice of fining youth limits their ability to find work, minimizing the pool of young talent available to join the workforce.
Michigan policymakers also continue to pursue ways to better support youth, especially youth of color and students with special needs, by interrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. While the state’s changes to the “zero tolerance” school discipline laws in 2017 were a start, there are still many issues with state school discipline policies that need to be addressed.
The YWCA of Kalamazoo and their partners around the state have been working with legislators on the Strong Attendance For Every Student (S.A.F.E.) Act to end school push out, especially for youth of color, due solely to truancy or chronic absenteeism. Senate Bills 68 and 69 would promote equity in school discipline and attendance policies by prohibiting suspension or expulsion as punishment for a student’s absence from school and requiring annual reporting on student disciplinary incidents, broken down by race, gender, and ethnicity.
Last month, a group of lawmakers also introduced a package of bills to reform the school disciplinary process. The legislation seeks to prevent and reduce students being removed from school, while ensuring that their due process rights are protected during disciplinary actions.
As we say a lot at the League, we are all more than our worst mistakes, especially those mistakes we make as a youth. I can personally and emphatically attest to that. And while it is valuable to lift up juvenile justice, as the governor has recognized, it is important that we move beyond awareness and into action. The governor’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform and a number of bills before the Legislature are striving to do just that, and we at the League are looking forward to working with them to continue to bring about real, positive change to promote racial equity and support all kids in the juvenile justice system.
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.
