Holland Reporter

State Representative Luke Meerman is leading efforts to address overcrowding in Michigan's juvenile justice facilities. Persistent capacity issues have resulted in minors being sent to unvetted facilities out of state, sometimes with serious consequences. In one case, a Michigan juvenile offender was sexually abused by staff at an out-of-state facility.

Meerman emphasized the lack of oversight when minors are placed outside Michigan. “The minor likely would have never been removed from the abuser had their mother not been hypervigilant – most minor offenders don’t have a parent advocating for them like that,” Meerman said. “We can’t really know how many others may have experienced abuse while shipped off to facilities in other states that we have no oversight over.”

To address these concerns, Meerman and his colleagues made sure that the House budget proposal includes funding aimed at increasing the capacity of Michigan-based facilities. The goal is to keep juvenile offenders within the state so they can remain close to family and under state supervision.

“It’s critical for the future of our state and safety of our communities that juvenile offenders are placed in quality facilities that have the resources and professional guidance to help minors learn from their mistakes and change the course of their lives before entering adulthood,” Meerman said.

Meerman’s involvement with child welfare began before his time in office; he and his wife served as foster parents and witnessed challenges within the system firsthand. He highlighted broader problems, including administrative issues at Child Protective Services under DHHS, stating: “The shortage of juvenile facilities is just one of the many issues facing kids who have come from really rough, heartbreaking backgrounds,” Meerman said. “There are also serious administrative issues within Child Protective Services under DHHS. Children have died on the state’s watch. We need to get serious about finding bipartisan solutions to fix the system.”

As chairman of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Child Welfare, Meerman has worked with the Office of the Auditor General to examine weaknesses within child welfare programs. He expressed hope that ongoing investigations will result in policy changes and urged Senate Democrats to work across party lines.