The Urban Institute published this brief as part of a series of policy recommendations from a project called Building Ladders of Opportunity for Young People in the Great Lakes. This brief describes how crime and justice involvement impact youth development and opportunity in general, and specifically in six Great Lakes states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The brief presents policies and practices that may help increase safety while reducing juvenile justice and criminal justice involvement and their negative effects on youth. (author abstract modified)