By Max Bryan, The Detroit News

The cost of caring for juveniles behind bars or awaiting court dates is surging in several Michigan counties, and officials attribute this to the complicated and expensive care for this challenging population.

Oakland County’s costs for juvenile care has doubled since 2023. Wayne and Macomb county officials say they’ve experienced higher costs because juveniles require more complicated, expensive care.

In fiscal years 2023 and 2024, Oakland County allocated between $800,000 and $900,000 for “state institutions,” the budget line item describing the cost of jailing juveniles who’ve been sentenced. That number ballooned to $2 million for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. The latest budget began Oct. 1.

Chritina Bujak, Oakland County Court business manager, sai

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