KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety (KDPS) is still investigating the shooting of a 12-year-old girl that occurred on March 5, and charges have not yet been filed. The suspect, a 16-year-old boy, was briefly taken to the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home but was released the same night due to a new law that requires a specific screening tool be used in decision-making for minors brought in by police.
The new legislation, enacted in Michigan six months ago, aims to divert low-risk minors away from the criminal system. The Ohio Youth Assessment System model, which consists of 155 questions evaluating factors like family arrest history and the individual’s views on the juvenile justice system, is now a statewide standard.
The scoring system categorizes individuals as high, moderate, or low risk based on their responses. The focus is on rehabilitating rather than punishing juveniles, with high-risk individuals recommended for detention to prevent lower-risk minors from unnecessary exposure to the juvenile detention setting.
Previously, all minors accused of a felony in Kalamazoo County were automatically detained, but under the new legislation, various factors are considered alongside the current charge to determine if detainment is necessary. While it is too soon to assess the effectiveness of the new system, officials plan to monitor results over the long term to ensure its success in providing appropriate interventions for juvenile offenders.
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