'We are still locking up too many kids.' The juvenile justice system in Michigan is overloaded. How did we get here?

Young person behind bars
Photo credit Getty Images

(WWJ) – Is there a problem in Michigan with incarcerating too many youth offenders? A startling report last week from the Detroit Free Press suggests there is in Wayne County, but others are saying it extends beyond that.

There’s a statewide school system in Michigan, but no statewide juvenile justice system. One youth justice official describes the system that does exist as often being "a dumping ground for failures on behalf of other adults in the young person’s life, including other institutions, like schools.”

In a new Daily J, WWJ’s Zach Clark spoke to some experts in the field and learned about multiple problems with youth incarceration in Michigan. The fix? It won't be easy but now there is a roadmap.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty Images