COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Sheriff John Pollack is no fan of proposed legislation in the Michigan House that would treat 17-year-old offenders as juveniles once again for certain crimes.
He told this week’s meeting of the Branch County Township Supervisors Association that this was a way for the State of Michigan to send 17-year-old offenders back to the counties.
Pollack said in 2015, they had to deal with 19 juveniles between the ages of 14 and 16 as well as 70 17-year-old offenders. Pollack says they only have one cell in the Branch County Jail for juveniles. He fears this will not only be a drain on his department but on the juvenile court as well.
Nearly 20 bills in the House are designed to raise the age for adult offenders to 18. Juveniles could still face adult charges for such serious crimes as rape and murder.
