Michigan Radio has received a grant from the Public Welfare Foundation to expand the station’s criminal justice reporting. This will allow the station to do more reporting surrounding youth and adult criminal justice issues in Michigan.
The public often does not have insight into how the criminal justice system operates or how public dollars are spent on law enforcement, courts, prisons, and other services. Michigan Radio will assign a full-time reporter to produce ongoing news coverage that will help contribute to the public dialogue on the criminal justice issue across the state.
The coverage will look at criminal justice from all sides, with a particular focus on how individuals and communities are impacted by the criminal justice system and how various facets of the system work well or don’t. We plan to look at areas including surveillance, sentencing, cash bail, plea deals and more.
In addition to the on-air reports, Michigan Radio will host town hall meetings and other events to help engage the public in discussions on criminal justice issues in their community and crime related issues that need more attention.
Michigan Radio expects the first of these reports to begin airing Fall 2021.
