Greater Detroit District Juvenile Lifer Project Celebrates Freedom and New Beginnings
Over the past several years, the Greater Detroit District Juvenile Lifer Project has helped celebrate the freedom of 71 individuals released from Michigan prisons after serving juvenile life sentences. Of the 176 juvenile lifers released statewide to date, each person supported through the project received approximately $350 worth of life essentials packed in a backpack and duffel bag, presented to them on their very first day of freedom.
This outreach has been made possible through the generosity and partnership of five United Methodist churches currently supporting the project: Birmingham First, founder of the Juvenile Lifer Project, along with Cass Community, Troy First, First Brighton, and Scott Memorial.
Recently, Michigan expanded the Juvenile Lifer designation to include individuals who were 20 years old or younger at the time of their crime, increasing the juvenile lifer population by approximately 600 people. As the need continues to grow, the Greater Detroit District Juvenile Lifer Project welcomes additional churches interested in supporting this compassionate ministry. Churches interested in learning more or becoming involved may contact [email protected].
Who are Juvenile Lifers: Individuals unconstitutionally sentenced to mandatory life without parole for offenses committed as children 17 years old or younger.
How Many Juvenile Lifers in Michigan: 378 Juveniles have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Currently, 182 remain in prison and 20 have died. At total of 176 have been released from prison.
How Much Prison Time Have They Served: Between 25 – 60 years.
How Are They Achieving Their Freedom?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that mandatory sentences of life without the possibility of parole are unconstitutional for 17 and under juvenile offenders.
The Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) has gained the release of Michigan Juvenile Lifers by petitioning courts for resentencing. SADO is the GDD’s partner in providing support to Juvenile Lifers.
How We Are Helping: SADO notifies the GDD when a Juvenile Lifer is to be released from prison. Once notified, GDD, through members of its participating churches shops for each soon to be released Juvenile Lifer and fills a backpack and duffel bag full of life essentials including clothing, footwear, toiletries and gift cards. The duffel bag and backpack will be presented by SADO to the Juvenile Lifer on the day he/she is released from prison.
GDD’s participating churches/ church members will also provide a limited number of incarcerated Juvenile Lifers with a monthly gift of a book.
How you can get involved: Volunteer to be a Juvenile Lifer shopper and/or book buyer.
Cass Community UMC and Birmingham First UMC are currently supporting the GDD Juvenile Lifer Project. All of the GDD churches/church members are invited to join in this life altering outreach program
For more information on the GDD Juvenile Lifer Project, contact Frank Driscoll at [email protected] or call at 248.666.5021.