Preliminary data from a think tank reveals racial disparities in Ingham County's criminal justice system.
In 2019, Black people were 5.1 times more likely than white people to have their cases referred by police for criminal prosecution and 5.6 times more likely to be charged by Ingham County prosecutors, according to an analysis from the Vera Institute of Justice.
Black defendants accounted for more than half of Ingham's felony cases that year, despite making up 11% of the county's population, the analysis found.
County Prosecutor Carol Siemon says she's using data from the institute to make policy changes that counter racial bias.
But Siemon met pushback from local law enforcement when she promised, as part of those reforms, to dial back use of a mandatory minimum gun possession charge. Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth called the policy "garbage" and said it would endanger the public.
That criticism was expected, Siemon said.
“It'd be wonderful to be on the same page," Siemon said. "But, historically, when you have a reform-minded prosecutor making changes, it's not that likely that the police will be on board with it.”
Earlier this summer, Siemon announced her office will no longer file charges resulting from traffic stops initiated for reasons, like driving with a busted tail light, that don't directly relate to public safety.
Siemon, a Democrat, was first elected as the county's prosecutor in 2016.
The Vera Institute is funding the partnership with Ingham County, said Jac Quiles, a senior program associate with the nonprofit.
Figures presented this week are preliminary and could be adjusted at the granular level in coming months, analysts said. The Vera Institute is aiming to release its final report in spring 2022.
