and would like additional details, please contact us. We have a lot of things to fix, she said. The majority of young people around the state are in privately run residential facilities managed by nonprofits, Smith said. More detailed information can be found in the Board of Education Policies on this website. The state that had most frequently used court orders, Washington, has since outlawed the practice. Students with chronic absenteeism (missing 10% of total school year for any reason) have lower grades and are more likely to drop out than students with better attendance. Meyette, the probation officer, who declined comment for this story, argued for detention, in part because teenagers cant skip classes while locked up. What is the penalty for truancy in Michigan? By Jackie Burrell We made kids the boogeyman, said Charley Clapp, an attorney in Grand Rapids who has tried juvenile court cases for more than 30 years. An 18-year-old is considered a full-fledged adult with rights and responsibilities. In states like Illinois, which has revamped its juvenile justice department over the last decade, data has been key, but so has jurisdiction, oversight and advocacy. You know, I missed a lot of work in the last 2 weeks, Ive been to Eds house a couple of times, Grigonis said. Teens and 20-somethings are adventuresome travel companions who often enjoy a mix of outdoor adventure, cultural immersion, fine dining, and shopping. Gov. The state ranking is tied with Idaho and Utah. If you are a member of HSLDA The investigation revealed a juvenile justice system lacking statewide coordination or authority. neglect or truancypetition. Thats because, I think, Michigan isnt investing in the alternative programming that other states are.. Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement said leaders from the executive, legislative and judicial branches must work together to set new policies and pass legislation to reform the juvenile justice system. He told the prosecutor, If it doesnt go the way we want it to, then at least were making them sweat., The 2017 federal data showed that in Michigan one offense had sent children to institutions more often than robbery or theft or drug charges: incorrigibility.. Click for the newest version of this table. Letters are sent home and calls made. Her own outlook has changed, but many prosecutors and judges in Michigan continue to view juvenile justice in a punitive way, she said. Michigan looks to add sexuality, disabilities to 35-year-old law 11 Michigan men charged in major U.S. diesel engine tampering case Feds back in U.P. You and your child will be invited to the team meeting. A medical appointment that must be made during the school day, Observing a recognized religious holiday when the observance is during school, A planned absence for a personal or educational purpose that has been approved by the school, Educational disruption caused by a student's homelessness, unplanned hospitalization, or placement in foster care or a youth development center, What caused your child's unexcused absences, What is the effect of the unexcused absences on your child, What will be the effect of more unexcused absences on your child, Frequent communication between teacher and family, Evaluation for learning in multiple pathways (career and technical education, alternative education, apprenticeships, online courses, adult education, career academies, AP courses,etc), Referral to other agencies for family services, Referral to the school's attendance coordinator, Referral to the school's student assistance team, Referral to the school's dropout prevention committee. K$`@${da`bd`20 3` 5D Probation officers and judges in other counties and even other courtrooms may offer teenagers multiple chances before ordering detention, or not use detention at all for some offenses. WebBecause there is juvenile court jurisdiction under the Wisconsin Statutes only until age 18, it is unlikely that a student leaving on his/her 18th birthday (if it occurs before the end of the Its Child Care Fund Unit reimburses counties half the cost of eligible placements and services for those involved with juvenile court. This is one of the ways Michigan has really fallen down, Rovner said. If a court decides a teen or child cannot be effectively treated at home, theyll order them to complete a treatment program in a residential facility. Authorities didn't see him using marijuana, which would have been illegal. We will explain those rules here. I was hoping for life without parole, but we knew that wasnt going to happen, Grigonis said. We treated kids harsher. A dramatic example of this occurred last summer, when the case of Grace* provoked national outrage. Whitmer also allotted specific funding for juvenile justice in her recent executive budget recommendations, including $32 million for community program reimbursements and $2 million for resources to adjust juvenile sentencing guidelines. Individual county court systems keep files and some data on their own cases. The way truancy is defined and handled can vary from locality to locality. But while Graces case may have been extreme, it reflects a practice that is common and emblematic of Michigans archaic and fragmented juvenile justice system, a ProPublica investigation has found. Disciplinary absence means absences that result from school or district disciplinary action and are neither unexcused nor excused absences. Feeney told the teen he could remain at home, but only if he followed all of her orders, including taking a new medication for mental health issues. Web(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, for a child who turned age 11 before December 1, 2009 or who entered grade 6 before 2009, the child's parent, guardian, or God, he was just always there for us, you know. In order for this information to be accurate and unbiased it must be underwritten by its readers, not by special interests. - Larry S. Not many other media sources report on the topics Bridge does. - Susan B. If you don't make sure your child attends school regularly, you may be brought to court on a civil violation. doi:10.1353/csd.2012.0014. They may be there because of a delinquent offense or a status offense. Moving forward, families will be consulted.. Its an eagerness to use incarceration in a way that other states do not seem eager to do, said Josh Rovner, director of youth justice for The Sentencing Project. Michigan Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy | Juvenile Court - livgov.com He had been following the rules of his probation, but when Michaels school switched to remote learning, he began spiraling downward, wrote his probation officer, John Meyette. The probation officers decision to recommend detention baffled his mother, Nicole. %%EOF Currently a misdemeanor violation of the codes requirements for parental responsibility for their childrens attendance is punishable by a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $50, or imprisonment for not less than 2 nor more than 90 days, or both. I dont think they want to understand how bad it is., Because there is little state oversight, young people may have very different experiences of the juvenile justice system depending upon where they live. Its not an inadvertent error. Michigan Compulsory Education Laws Not applicable. hbbd``b` Truancy When he repeatedly refused to take the pill, Feeney found him in contempt of court. Atasi Uppal, a senior policy attorney at the California-based nonprofit National Center for Youth Law who has worked in juvenile justice systems across the country, said the shortcomings in Michigans data are among the worst she has encountered. 18 years old In this 2014 file photo, children walk to a room known as the "Canteen," at the Saginaw County Juvenile Detention Center. Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform makes final vote on unprecedented policy recommendations. Michigan has an Office of Childrens Ombudsman, which handles complaints related to child welfare and juvenile justice, but it does not have oversight over most delinquency cases because they are supervised by the courts. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Based on what hes seen in other states, Rovner sees several ways Michigan could lower these rates and keep girls from becoming incarcerated. Happens to Truants and Their Parents in Georgia Refer to school resources. I know he is not understanding the material and that is why he is not working, one of his teachers wrote in an academic report included in court records. Jason Smith, of the nonprofit Michigan Center for Youth Justice and a leading voice for reform, said the state should have a better understanding of the youth in its system. The change, which goes into effect in October 2021, took years to accomplish in part because the state didnt have the data to understand how many youth would be affected. 0 Attorney Jessica Martin has represented young people in Detroit for 13 years. Mental health treatment and other services also vary widely by region; some judges say they have to send young people to detention because thats the quickest way they can get a psychiatric evaluation. Will you become a Bridge Michigan member today? Kathleen Bankhead, who was appointed Illinois first juvenile ombudsman and still serves in that role, said she didnt realize the importance of the office until she began touring the facilities and speaking to the youth. Since he entered the juvenile court system in June 2018 on a felony weapons charge for bringing a concealed gun to school, Cartez, a Black 17-year-old from Inkster, outside Detroit, hasnt been charged with any more crimes. The group urged courts to use incentives and individualized case plans to manage juvenile offenders rather than issuing a litany of rules. EMPLOYING MINORS IN MICHIGAN No can do (unless your child formally agrees). Michigan Truancy Laws - ccresa.org The National Juvenile Defender Center report, released this year, found that without state funding or oversight of juvenile defense in Michigan, young people too often have inadequate counsel by court-appointed attorneys. Examples of delinquent offenses include shoplifting, battery, and driving a car without a license, along with many other crimes that can also be committed by adults. %PDF-1.5 % Michigan last published an annual report on juvenile justice in 2015, and it focused only on juvenile arrests through 2013. Attorneys say their clients would be better treated for their mental health issues in the community but get locked up because theres nowhere for them to go. If your child is at least 7 years old or they have not finished 6th grade, they are truant if they have: If your child has finished 6th grade and is not 17 years old yet, they are truant if they have: Maine law defines an "excused absence" as missed school time because of: The adult a child lives with is responsible for making sure that child goes to school. Michael wasnt logging on regularly. It inspects child welfare facilities, including residential treatment and detention centers, for compliance with licensing rules and laws. Sign up to get weekly updates about our work. They have already proven they make bad choices. In July 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that automatic life sentences for 18-year-old offenders are unconstitutional. One stated goal was to keep more children in their communities and out of facilities. The school must follow certain procedures first. Phone: (207) 774-8246 | Toll Free: 1-866-624-7787 | TTY: 711 This has definitely brought our family closer but its -- Im miserable., In a statement, Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane said, Consultation with surviving families is paramount to making an informed decision on each case. In this state, local education agencies determine their maximum or minimum age, or the information is not available in the statute. They want me to be perfect and nobody is perfect, Cartez said. It can be hard to compare different states with precision because facilities self-report figures and the data varies by state, though experts agree the federal census is the best available measure. %%EOF Michigan compulsory education laws require children between the ages of six and 16 to attend school and allows for homeschooling, as long as it teaches subjects comparable to those taught in corresponding public school classes. The state legislature is now working through some of the task forces ideas. If your child is still absent or if you do not go to the second meeting, the school can contact local law enforcement to refer your case to court. I am always open to learning new things and figuring out how we can do things better. Palmer RS, McMahon TJ, Moreggi DI, Rounsaville BJ, Ball SA. But even the limited data show that Michigan confines too many young people for noncriminal offenses, he said. School contacts family informing them the next step is a referral to the Attendance Officer. No young person is going to follow the rules all the time.. These requirements will apply across Pennsylvania. Juveniles locked up at any of Illinois five state-run facilities can call the ombudsmans office at any hour of the day by dialing a four-digit code. Illinois, by contrast, had reduced that population from 396 to 9 in the same time period. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Children of color, like Grace, were disproportionately involved at nearly every point in the juvenile justice system. Feeney, a Kent County Circuit Court family division judge, said she tailors her probation orders to what she thinks individual children need: Go to school, dont use drugs, take prescribed medication, go to bed at 9 p.m., read a book a week and write an essay about it. Read: People sentenced to life at 18 could The trend in the U.S. in recent years has been toward expansion of compulsory schooling to reduce dropout rates. This includes removing resource officers from schools so kids arent arrested or detained for mundane misbehavior, an increase in diversion programs and a decrease in long-term confinement for low-level offenses.