Our Work

Analyzing Crime Patterns and Protecting Youth

The Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice allocates federal funding for delinquency prevention and rehabilitation programs to protect the rights of juveniles in the justice system. PPA is working with the committee to help keep the State in compliance with federal requirements, provide data and oversight, and communicate the committee's work to the public.

Development: The PPA team is led by Paul Elam, an expert in criminal and juvenile justice who wrote his Ph.D. thesis on the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative.

Better Data, Better Outcomes:  PPA is analyzing juvenile crime data to help the Committee identify where the most crime is occurring and which communities are in greatest need of support for community-based programs in response to crime. PPA is helping the committee ensure that the state has a juvenile crime-reduction strategy that is data-driven and establishes priorities. The PPA research is also helping the committee address the issue of overrepresentation of people of color in the juvenile justice system.

Jail Oversight: PPA staff monitor county jails and other juvenile detention facilities around the state to make sure their policies and practices are in compliance with the core requirements of the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Those requirements include keeping status offenders, such as truants, out of detention facilities, removing juveniles from adult institutions, separating juvenile and adult offenders when they are in the same facilities, and reducing the overrepresentation of minorities in the juvenile justice system.  The work of PPA has helped County sheriffs, jail administrators, and other local officials better understand and comply with regulations.

Communications: PPA worked with the Committee to develop brochures and a new Web site that will help broaden the awareness of the Committee's work and of juvenile justice issues. PPA also presents during conferences for sheriffs, juvenile detention staff, and court administrators to educate practitioners on federal and state law concerning the detention of juveniles.

Link: www.michigancommitteeonjuvenilejustice.com

Services Provided: 

Strategic consultation

Expert facilitation

Survey research

Secondary analysis of existing databases

On-Site visits

Interviews with industry leaders and experts

Focus groups