Youth Detention Screening Tools: Pitfalls and Recommendations

The state of Michigan's newly implemented Ohio Youth Assessment System Detention Tool (OYAS-DET) weighs factors including family incarceration history and attitudes towards the juvenile justice system that could potentially misclassify some youth as high risk. In other states that use it, Black and brown youth have been disproportionately affected by the OYAS-DET tool, despite the overall decrease in juvenile detentions. To address these adverse implications while complying with the requirements of the Justice for Kids and Communities legislative package, we recommend that Michigan implement a culturally and demographically tailored youth detention risk screening tool. All stakeholders must be actively involved throughout the development and implementation of the new instrument, ensuring that the questions minimize potential for bias and discrimination. The provision of consistent funding post-implementation will allow counties to revalidate the tool every five to 10 years, promoting accuracy, equity, and cultural competency over time.