Sometimes We Need To ZOOM OUT To See The Whole System

Sometimes we need to ZOOM out to see the whole system.

When working with a justice-involved young person, it's easy to focus on the part of the system directly in front of us.

A school sees a student.

A mentor sees a young person they are supporting.

A behavioral health provider sees a client.

A probation officer sees a youth on their caseload.

A community organization sees someone who needs support.

All of those perspectives are important. But none of them represents the whole picture.

To effectively support youth and families, it helps to understand:

• How does the juvenile justice system work?

• Why are certain decisions made?

• Who is involved, and what are their roles?

• Where do community partners fit?

This doesn't mean community partners need to become juvenile justice experts. Many already bring valuable knowledge, relationships, and resources to the table. Sometimes, what is needed is simply an opportunity to ZOOM out to understand the system surrounding the young person and how the different pieces connect.

This is becoming even more important as Michigan's juvenile justice system continues to evolve. Beginning July 1, 2026, Michigan courts began collecting new juvenile case-level data, including data related to screening and assessment tools, to help SCAO better measure the effectiveness and fairness of the juvenile justice system. Data collection may happen within the court system, but the bigger picture involves all of us.

The better we understand the system, the better we can understand where we fit within it and the better we can work together to support youth and families.

Understanding the path helps us become better partners. That's one of the ideas behind my work with M3 Collaborative Consulting: helping organizations gain a clearer understanding of the juvenile justice system, how it works, why decisions are made, and how community partners can effectively work alongside it.

What part of the juvenile justice system do you think community partners would benefit from understanding better?

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