Overdue for Justice: An Assessment of Access to and Quality of Juvenile Defense Counsel in Michigan (2020)

This assessment report provides an overview of Michigan’s system of juvenile defense. It examines the extent to which youth in delinquency court are provided with well-qualified and effective counsel at all critical stages and addresses systemic barriers that may impede effective representation and hamper due process and equal protection of the law. It measures structure, funding, and service delivery against the traditional markers of an effective juvenile defense delivery system based upon constitutional protections, national standards, and ethical obligations of juvenile defenders.