September, 2021

Last Chance – Sign Up Now to Hear from
Michigan Chief Justice McCormack

We’re just days away from the 2021 Safe & Just Michigan annual meeting, and we’re hoping you’ll join us — either in person at the Lansing Radisson at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14 or through our live broadcast online. Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/2021SJM

This year, we’ll be presenting Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack with the William G. Milliken Award. We’re looking forward to hearing from her, as she has been instrumental in many of Michigan’s recent criminal justice reforms. She was a co-chair of the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration. She has also spoken in favor of the new Clean Slate legislation and was a presenter during the 2020 Day of Empathy.

We’ll also hear from featured speaker Jeffrey Korzenik, author of “Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring Works for Your Business and the Community.” Korzenik is a Princeton University graduate with a degree in economics. He has published articles in Barron’s, Forbes, and the Chicago Tribune.

This year, we have two ticket options:

• In-person tickets are $25 each and include a plated dinner, gift, and an opportunity to network and engage in fellowship with criminal justice advocates from around Michigan. In addition, the first 50 people to purchase an in-person ticket will receive a free Safe & Just Michigan t-shirt to be picked up at the registration table!

• Livestream tickets are $10 each and allow you to enjoy the full presentations as they happen without having to worry about finding transportation to Lansing or parking.

Safe & Just Michigan knows our work is made possible by the support of people like you. The past year has been difficult in many respects, but one of the aspects that we’ve missed is meeting with others that share our passion for criminal justice reform. That's why we hope we get to see you this year, whether we’re sharing a meal with you at the Radisson or whether you’re plan to join us online. We don't want anyone turned away because of ticket prices. We have a limited number of complimentary tickets for those who need help. For more information, please contact us at info@safeandjustmi.org.

Expungement in Michigan Expands Again

As of our writing last month, House Bills 4210-20, which created a path to expungement for people who have one DUI conviction that didn’t result in significant injury or death, had cleared the Legislature. Since then, they have been signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. People will be able to apply for expungement under these new laws as of Feb. 19, 2022. 

We are thrilled that expungement relief is being granted to a wider circle of Michiganders. Safe & Just Michigan understands that driving under the influence is a serious problem, and we grieve with people who have lost loved ones to drunk driving. However, these new laws only apply to people who have had a single DUI offense that didn’t result in a tragic loss of life or serious injury. These incidents may have not caused serious bodily harm, but the convictions resulting from them have led to decades of consequences for people convicted of a single DUI, including the inability to secure good jobs or housing.

This isn’t the end of expungement reform in Michigan. Next year, the state will also phase in another component of last year’s Clean Slate legislative package, automatic expungement. As that draws closer, Safe & Just Michigan will roll out an information and education outreach effort to let people know that some of their old criminal records will soon be effortlessly expunged. Please stay tuned for more information.

What’s Going On:
A Discussion About Criminal Justice
Reform and Violent Crime

It’s no secret that murder rates have been rising in cities across America the past few years. So far, however, there have been few answers as to why this is happening. Some who are critical of criminal justice reform point to bail reform as the culprit, while others fault calls to “defund the police” as the reason. A closer analysis, taking into consideration a lingering pandemic, unstable economy, and other factors, suggests the reasons for a rising murder rate are more complex.

On Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 12:30 p.m., join Safe & Just Michigan Policy Analyst Josh Hoe and Fordham University Law Professor John Pfaff online for a frank discussion on this troubling trend and the factors that could be driving it. While we do not yet have a sign-up link for this event, we will be publicizing it widely on our social media channels once we do.

Please follow us at
www.facebook.com/safeandjustmi and
www.twitter.com/safeandjustmi
for upcoming details.

Visit our website at www.safeandjustmi.org. If you would like to join Safe & Just Michigan’s efforts, please contact us at
info@safeandjustmi.org or
sign up for our electronic communications at
bit.ly/sjmsignup.