MCYJ 2023 Annual Report

Michigan Center for Youth Justice

Annual Report 2023

Vision:

A fair and effective justice system for Michigan’s children, youth and young adults.

Mission:

We work to advance equitable youth justice policies and practices that protect young people and help them achieve their full potential.

A letter from our Executive Director

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As we reflect on our work in 2023, the Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ) proudly celebrates significant strides in transforming youth justice within our state. The enactment of the Justice for Kids and Communities bill package epitomizes our collective achievements.

These historic reforms signify a major victory for Michigan’s young people and lay the foundation for a future where rehabilitation and support for youth are prioritized over punitive measures such as detention.

In 2022, we completed a strategic planning process to guide our work over the next three to five years. This process outlined clear goals, including developing policy priorities and engaging directly impacted individuals. We are proud of our achievements in involving directly impacted youth and families and are committed to building on this progress.

In 2023 we:

Successfully advocated for and contributed to key legislation that will transform Michigan’s juvenile justice system;
Empowered young leaders and advocates through collaborations with other institutions and organizations;
Engaged the community and our supporters in discussions and learnings about juvenile justice through a diverse range of trainings and events;
Expanded our presence on digital platforms to discuss and explore issues related to youth justice with a larger audience;
Continued to contribute to local reforms in Kalamazoo, MI; and
Highlighted the intersections between youth justice and schools.

Legislative Advocacy and Engagement

Justice for Kids

Justice for Kids and

Communities Bill Package

2023 was a monumental year for juvenile justice reform in Michigan. The Justice for Kids and Communities legislative package was signed into law in December 2023. This legislation, identified from the Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force recommendations, transforms our youth justice system. Key reforms include eliminating nearly all juvenile court debt, increasing the Child Care Fund for community-based alternatives to detention, and expanding the Office of the Child Advocate role to include residential facilities. MCYJ testified to support this legislation five times, addressing the Michigan House and Senate. Additionally, we assisted in placing four op-eds and had approximately sixty-five legislative meetings on youth justice reform. We are grateful for the many partners, legislators, and supporters who championed these historic reforms with us.

WMU Fellows

MCYJ continued our partnership with the Western Michigan University Lewis Walker Institute to support the Youth Juvenile Justice Fellows program. This initiative aims to equip youth with advocacy skills, enabling them to engage decision-makers and share their stories to drive change within Michigan’s juvenile justice system.

MCYJ facilitated two training sessions and coordinated the third annual Capitol Day, an event where fellows interact with state legislators and local leaders in Lansing, Michigan. We express our gratitude for our ongoing collaboration with the Lewis Walker Institute and thank the Public Welfare Foundation for their invaluable support.

WMU Fellows Program

CCF Mini Docs

Child Care Fund (CCF)

Mini-Documentaries

MCYJ partnered with Three Lyons Creative and three youth-serving programs throughout Michigan to create mini-documentaries showcasing how the expansion of the Child Care Fund (CCF) to support the increase of community-based programs and court diversion options would benefit the young people they serve.

The programs of focus were:
Youth Arts Alliance (Ypsilanti)
Black Family Development Inc. (Detroit)
Delta Project (Ottawa County) & Ottawa County JJ Court

At MCYJ we value:

Community and Connection: Youth deserve to remain connected to their families and communities, even if they become involved in the justice system. They should be recognized for their strengths and values, not just for their mistakes.
Effectiveness: We are results-driven and work with integrity. We can be counted on to deliver fair, equitable justice reform for Michigan’s children, youth, and young adults.
Equity: All youth should be treated in a fair and just manner by the youth justice system, regardless of who they are or where they come from.
Inclusion: People impacted by a problem should be at the center of our advocacy. We believe in creating a big tent. Nonpartisanship and divergent perspectives generate better solutions.
Possibility: Every problem has a solution if we work together, think outside the box, and are willing to try new things.
Restoration: The youth justice system should be restorative and rehabilitative. Kids who get in trouble are still kids.

School Justice Conference

In October, in partnership with the Student Advocacy Center Michigan, MCYJ hosted its first-ever school justice conference, Creating Transformative Schools, at the Sheraton Detroit-Novi. This conference was attended by over 140 individuals interested in the intersection of education and the juvenile justice system.

Various workshop topics were offered, including policing in schools, preventing school disruptions, honoring the whole child, and action planning for transformative schools.

Building Momentum

Film Screening

In September, in collaboration with the NAACP of Greater Grand Rapids, MCYJ hosted a youth justice film screening and discussion to create interest in juvenile justice-focused youth workforce development programs in the Grand Rapids area. The film Building Momentum overviews the Cafe Momentum program, founded in Dallas and expanding nationwide. It provides job training, education, and other support to break the incarceration cycle and help youth reach their full potential. This event also showcased a panel of local Grand Rapids advocates and entrepreneurs, including:

• Dr. Justin Beene
(Founder, Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation)
• Ja’Von Fields
(Youth Council President, NAACP of Grand Rapids)
• Mike Thorpe
(Director of Operations, Meritage Group)

Approximately 40 community members attended and enjoyed a robust discussion following the film's showing.

Cards and Community

Cards and Community

MCYJ is grateful to everyone who participated in our 2023 Cards & Community event. With the cards made at our in-person event, combined with the efforts of additional virtual/asynchronous volunteers, we mailed 565 cards across the state for kids who could not be home during the holidays.

YJAM

Building Youth Justice

Action Month (YJAM)

In October, as a part of Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM), MCYJ had the pleasure of co-hosting a youth-centered roundtable with Young Voices Action Collective (YVAC) of Detroit, offering advocacy-related education and engaging youth in dialogue around juvenile justice reforms.

We welcomed several East English Village high schoolers for a presentation from Jennifer Peacock, our Policy Director, which included a brief Juvenile Justice 101 overview and information about the Justice for Kids and Communities bill package.

The evening event led to thoughtful conversation, with youth sharing their perspectives on Michigan's juvenile justice system and using the YJAM prompt #justiceis to illustrate their visions for change.

Webinars with Other Groups

Public Education

On March 9th, MCYJ partnered with the League of Women Voters of Washtenaw County to share the findings from the report created by the Juvenile Justice Task Force at a community forum.

Panelists included MCYJ executive director Jason Smith and University of Michigan Law professor Kim Thomas, co-director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic. Smith and Thomas discussed a breakdown of the main points from the 32 recommendations in the report. Community members could engage in a Q&A session with the panelists at the end of the discussion.

To re-watch the event, click here!

Centering Community Voices

Podcast - Season Two

MCYJ’s podcast, The Table: Conversations on Youth Justice, returned for a second season in 2023. Featuring Husain Haidri as the host, the podcast explored topics ranging from approaching youth justice locally to the importance of legislative advocacy. Husain also welcomed a diverse group of experts in the youth justice space as special guests, episode to episode.

You can listen to Season 2 wherever you listen to podcasts or on our website.

Youth Justice Corner Blog

MCYJ launched a blog on our website, the Youth Justice Corner, to create a space for longer stories authored by or featuring the voices of MCYJ staff and board, and we hope, eventually, justice-impacted young people and their families.

To check out our blog, visit www.miyouthjustice.org/blog.

Project Coordination and Facilitation

Continued Work in Kalamazoo

In Kalamazoo County, Michigan, MCYJ has advanced its mission by collaborating with community-based organizations to engage the local juvenile court in expanding programs that divert youth from the formal legal system. Additionally, MCYJ has supported the evolution of the Campaign For Criminal Justice and Transparency (CCJT) from a grassroots volunteer group to a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to educating the Kalamazoo community on justice-related issues. A significant achievement of this partnership was the establishment of the Open Data Citizen Oversight and Advisory Committee, which focuses on enhancing collaboration among County departments, elected officials, and the Courts to ensure the Open Database—dedicated to collecting, storing, and analyzing county-wide justice system data—is effectively developed and implemented. Additionally, MCYJ and its local partners have initiated conversations with juvenile justice stakeholders to support the implementation of the recently passed policy reforms, specifically focused on expanding options to divert youth away from the formal legal system.

SRO Survey/Research/Mini-Grants

Through a grant from the Skillman Foundation, MCYJ partnered with the Public Policy Associates (PPA) to survey middle and high school students from Detroit Public Schools about their perceptions of and experiences with school police officers and security guards. To collect the surveys, MCYJ partnered with youth organizers throughout the Detroit area, including the Student Advocacy Center, 482Forward, and Detroit Area Youth Organizing Michigan, offering “mini-grants” to support staff capacity in engaging student survey participants.

The findings from this survey and information learned from our school justice conference are now being integrated into a report, with an anticipated release in 2024, on creating a culture of safety in schools beyond School Resource Officers. The hope is that this qualitative research will contribute new insights to the school safety conversation and center students’ voices to create learning environments that feel safe to them.

Board of Directors

Eric Sturk – President
Roy, Noye & Warren, CPA, P.C.

Ronald Simpson-Bey – Treasurer
Just Leadership USA, Returning Citizen

John Broad – Secretary
Retired; President, Crime Stoppers of Michigan

Fonsea Bagchi
Youth board member

Linda Edwards-Brown
Retired; Washtenaw County Juvenile Court Administrator

Melanca Clark
Former President and CEO, Hudson-Webber Foundation

Melanie Odom
Philanthropy Strategist

Michelle Rowser
Insight Youth and Family Connections

Paul Elam, Ph.D.
Chief Strategy Officer, Michigan Public Health Institute

Chuck Jackson
Department Director, Wayne Co. Senior Services

Staffing Changes

Thanks to generous funding, MCYJ grew our team to six full-time staff members. In the spring of 2023, Katie Martin (second from left) joined the team as a project and events coordinator. Later in the fall, Denita Dorsey (second from right) became our Outreach and Advocacy Manager to spearhead much-needed efforts to engage justice-impacted youth and families and lead community partnerships.

In addition, we expanded our team of contractors with a part-time Individual Giving Manager role to focus on donor engagement and stewardship. We’re excited about our team’s skill and knowledge base and are committed to collaboration and innovation to get our work done well.

Funders

Financials

Revenue: $875,170

Expenses: $819,527

Donors

$5,001 +

Julie Heath

$1,001 - 5,000

Clark-Turay Family Fund

Jennifer Haines

The Ivywood Fund
Kate Markel

$501 - 1,000

James Sidney Keller
Gretchen Keppel-Aleks
Ann Marston
David Rosen
Michelle Rowser

Jason Smith
Kristen Staley
Carrie and Gregg Hammerman
Zingerman’s

$101 - 500

Audrey Anderson
Syndallas Baughman
Jessica Burnside
Suzanne Fischer
Carrie and Gregg Hammerman
Catherine Hayes
Bob Higgins
Steven Hoekman

Martin Howrylak
Mary King
Marian Laughlin
Jillian Myers
Peoples Church of Flint
Kelly Scheu
Deborah Shaw
Peri Stone-Palmquist

$1 - 100

Layla Ananda
Heather Calcaterra
Jay Cummings
Jillian Downey
Brandy Ellison
Josiah Foster
Hertha Gast
Loraie Grayson
Amy Harris

Bryan Jones
Jennifer Ratliff-Moss
Peggy Korpela
Sally Preston
Candace Rieck
Kristen Teasdale
Edith Kieffer
Sally Preston