Every child in this state is constitutionally entitled to a defense, especially when they’re too young, too scared, or too disadvantaged to stand up for themselves.
But for too long, Michigan’s indigent defense system has served up something far worse than “good enough.” It’s been bottom of the barrel; uncoordinated, underfunded, and under-trained.
And it’s leaving our most vulnerable kids trapped in a broken system.
The Crisis We Already Knew, Now in Full View
Bridge Michigan’s recent exposé spells it out plainly: there are no statewide qualifications for attorneys defending youth. In many counties, minors are represented by lawyers with minimal experience, or by counsel who’ve never had training in how to talk to a child, let alone understand adolescent brain development.
This is not minor. It’s a system design flaw, plain and simple.
When Kids Are Pushed to Plead
Without proper representation:
- Kids plead without understanding their rights.
- Families are stuck navigating legal proceedings they don’t understand.
- Outcomes become uneven—based not on the facts or fairness, but on geography and luck.
Let me be blunt: if you’re just scraping by, or don’t hire a lawyer with juvenile‐court experience, your kid may end up locked in juvenile detention or saddled with a criminal record.
And somehow, we wonder why cycles of poverty and incarceration persist?
Invest in Childhood, Or Pay the Price Later
What if we treated juvenile defense as the public safety investment it really is?
- Uniform training standards for anyone representing children.
- A juvenile arm of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission—so every county has the same minimums.
- Dedicated funding to make sure kids aren’t left with counsel who don’t know how to advocate for a child’s welfare.
Because the alternative is unforgivable. Without real investment in this early stage, we’re setting kids up for failure—and society pays the price down the road.
What Justice Should Look Like
Imagine if:
- Every child received free, trained, compassionate counsel who knows how to talk to them in age-appropriate language.
- Cases focused on rehabilitation, not punishment.
- Courts worked with families, social workers, and educators—not against them.
That doesn’t have to be utopia. It’s just commonsense. A system shift toward defending children well would return dividends in reduced recidivism, stronger families, and healthier communities.
We Must Do Better. No More Excuses.
This isn’t some abstract reform. It’s about the kids who are currently scared in courtrooms, misunderstood by adults, and too often set up to fail.
Michigan has been at the bottom of the barrel in indigent defense for too long. We’re better than this. Our children are worth the investment—now and into their futures.
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