Waterford Today

Matt Maddock, a House Representative from Michigan, said that a judicial shift in Traverse City has made the area more attractive to criminals due to lenient rulings. The statement was made on X.

"STREET FACT: When TC had conservative judges, criminals stayed far away," said Matthew A Maddock, State Representative from Michigan. "Today criminals know it's a safe refuge to do crime because leftist judges."

Recent debate in Traverse City, Michigan, has centered on how new judicial appointments may influence crime trends. Local officials and residents have observed shifts in case outcomes and sentencing in response to state-level justice reforms, as reported by the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

According to data from the Traverse City Police Department, overall crime rates in Traverse City have remained largely steady in the three years following recent changes to the judicial bench, with only minor fluctuations in major crime categories.

A 2024 study by the Michigan Courts and University of Michigan found that cities with more rehabilitative judicial philosophies see lower recidivism rates, while strict sentencing produces mixed results on reducing overall crime.

Maddock is a Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives, known for supporting law enforcement, judicial reform, and tough-on-crime policies, according to Ballotpedia.