The new Washtenaw County prosecutor, Eli Savit, weighed in on what drove him to run for that position and what has inspired him to drive so much change.
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit
Credit Washtenaw County Prosecutor s Office / washtenaw.org
A new policy on juvenile crime was announced by Washtenaw county’s new prosecutor, Eli Savit.
He says they’re taking much more of a rehabilitative approach to juvenile justice in the county versus a punishment approach. The new county prosecutor says scientific data shows a punishment based approach to juvenile justice does not work and doesn’t make us any safer either.
Savit says their goal is to address more juvenile issues outside the criminal legal system and says they will no longer criminally charge what he called “run-of-the-mill youthful mistakes.
Washtenaw prosecutor won t charge juveniles for low-level crimes
The change is the third major police shift announced by Savit since he took office Jan. 1.
Under the new policy, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office will “avoid charging juveniles with minor offenses that are best resolved outside of the criminal-justice system,” Savit said.
The low-level crimes include status-based” offenses such as truancy, curfew violations, and running away from home; tobacco or vaping-related offenses; disorderly conduct and crimes related to juvenile use of marijuana or alcohol.
In a 10-page policy directive issued Monday to his office s assistant prosecutorys, Savit stressed that “voluminous scientific research and legal doctrine” indicates that “children (and teenagers) are not small adults.”
New Washtenaw Co. Prosecutor on major policy changes: It s not just business as usual
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit is enacting a slew of new progressive changes. This week, he introduced a third policy to crack down on racial profiling tied to traffic stops.
Posted at 5:49 AM, Jan 22, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-22 06:59:01-05
(WXYZ) â Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit is enacting a slew of new progressive changes. This week, he introduced a third policy to crack down on racial profiling tied to traffic stops.
Savit directive says, If a police officer pulls a driver over and the officer has no other reason to suspect a crime has been committed or that the car contains evidence of a crime, but they search the car with the driver s consent and they find minor low-level contraband, the prosecutor will not bring charges.
In this week’s news recap, one EMU Board of Regents member resigns due to being charged in an investigation of the Flint water crisis, concerns rise over COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Washtenaw County, and the Honors College introduces a creative scholarship opportunity.