Earlier this month, the Michigan Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in People v. Czarnecki and People v. Taylor, holding that mandatory life without parole (LWOP) sentences for people who were 19 or 20 at the time of the offense are unconstitutional—and that this decision applies retroactively. Combined with the People v. Poole ruling (affirming resentencing rights for 18-year-olds sentenced…
Today a coalition of organizations released their 2026 Michigan Budget Recommendations to Invest in Crime Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Reentry. Tell your lawmaker to support the budget recommendations. With Michigan seeing record low rates of violent crime and low rates of recidivism, the FY2026 budget is an opportunity to double down on the programs that prevent…
Violence at the hands of an intimate partner affects more than 10 million people in the U.S. each year. For incarcerated women, the numbers are even more staggering—over 77% have experienced intimate partner violence, and 86% have survived sexual violence. These deep, lasting traumas are directly connected to the cycle of punishment and incarceration we…
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the first MI-CEMI Prison Programming Providers Table quarterly convening of 2025. Our discussion explored key strategies, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen programming in-reach and relationship-building efforts. The discussion highlighted that, while there is an important role for department-provided and mandated programming, there is a special transformative power…
Take Action Today: Limited Window for Police Accountability Reforms We have a short window of opportunity to push critical police accountability bills forward in the Michigan House of Representatives. These bills—SB1091 (Use of Force policy requirements), SB1092 (Training Requirements), and SB1094 (Limiting No-Knock Warrants)—have already passed the Senate but need House approval to become law.…
You have the power to drive real change in our criminal legal system. You are invited to join us in creating content that advocates for a future free from mass incarceration, violence, and inequality. Our goal is to end life and long sentences, shift the focus from punishment to accountability and healing, and work toward…
We invite you to join us for two important events coming up soon in Detroit, where we will engage in crucial discussions on the Second Look Resentencing Act and Juvenile Life Without Parole. 1. Second Chances: A Listening SessionDate: October 16th, 2024Time: Dinner 6:00 PM, Presentation 7:00 PMLocation: 8850 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202At this…
Join us for a discussion on Ethical Storytelling on Thursday, November 21st, from 12:00 to 1:30 PM EST. This event will explore how to center impacted voices in our narratives while avoiding tokenization and retraumatization. We’ll hear insights from representatives of Safe and Just Michigan, the Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ), and the American…
CONTACT: Will Mesinger, Will@MerakiCommsGroup.com, (518) 338-7119 (Lansing, Michigan) – Today, the Second Look Michigan Coalition released the following statement responding to the severe staffing shortages in Michigan’s prisons: Today, there are hundreds of people sitting in Michigan’s prisons who pose no threat to society, have served significant time, and in many cases, are unable to…
One of the foundational goals of MI-CEMI is to reinvest in the communities that have been harmed by mass incarceration. This budget cycle, we pulled together the Investing in a Safer Michigan coalition to help fund proven, bipartisan strategies that make communities safer, level the playing field for underserved Michiganders, and provide for long-term fiscal…