Site Logo
  • Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Our Services
Home News PPA and MCCD Discuss Raise the Age on the Michigan Business Network

PPA and MCCD Discuss Raise the Age on the Michigan Business Network

January 8, 2018

Paul Elam, Ph.D. President of Public Policy Associates recently enjoyed a featured guest spot on the Michigan Business Network. Joined by Mary King, Executive Director of the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency, Dr. Elam made a compelling case for Michigan’s Raise the Age (RTA) campaign, specifically detailing why the business community should join this diverse coalition in supporting youth justice.

The RTA campaign aims to raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction from 17 to 18 years of age. Michigan is one of only five states that automatically prosecute 17-year-olds as adults. This policy is at odds with other Michigan laws and conflicts with widely-accepted national and international policies that declare adulthood to begin at age 18.

Youth incarceration is harmful, expensive and ineffective. Despite being mostly non-violent offenders, over half of youth convicted as adults spend time in jail or prison, where they are more likely to be physically attacked, sexually assaulted, and attempt suicide.

“Keeping Michigan 17-year-olds in the adult justice system puts our citizens at a competitive disadvantage,” said Ms. King. “System-involved youth coming to Michigan from the 45 states that have raised the age have more access to education and employment, because they don’t have a felony conviction.”

Adult convictions create lifelong barriers to housing, employment and education. Because of the harsh state law, a 17-year-old convicted in Michigan will average 40 percent less in lifetime earnings than a youth convicted of the same charge in other states. Predictably, this increases the likelihood of reliance on government assistance.

Raising the age would eliminate these disparities while strengthening the workforce talent pipeline. Raising the age will provide a pathway for young people to become productive, gainfully employed, tax-paying citizens in Michigan.

The two-part interview is available to download and stream.

 Paul Elam, Ph.D., is the president of Public Policy Associates, Inc. and has worked on national, state and local efforts to create fair and effective juvenile justice policies and practices. He is a board member of the Michigan Council on Crime and Delinquency and a consultant to the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice. To find out more about PPA’s work in juvenile justice, contact Dr. Elam at pelam@publicpolicy.com. or 517-485-4477.

 

Share: Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn
PPA Intern Presents at the 73rd Annual American Society of Criminology Conference
PPA is Helping School Leaders Better Understand the Needs of Students of Color

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
© Copyright 2023
Public Policy Associates
119 Pere Marquette Drive Suite 1C
Lansing, MI 48912-1231
Phone: 517-485-4477