Decades ago Michigan prisoners were able to earn sentence reductions for good behavior. It was generally referred to as "good time." After good time was eliminated, disciplinary credits remained an incentive for Michigan prisoners to participate in rehabilitative programming and to follow the rules. It's been decades now since Michigan offered any sort of rehabilitative incentive, operating instead on "Truth in Sentencing," which seeks to ensure victims of crime that offenders will serve at least the minimum sentence they are given.
The most recent legislative attempt to bring back good time or some other time cut incentives (2018) failed to gain any traction. Despite the nationwide campaign against mass incarceration, including excessively long sentences, Michigan continues to have one of the longest average prison terms in the US. Apparently Michigan is one of only three states who do not offer some form of sentence reductions for good behavior. Even the federal prison system has a form of good time.
Most people are not aware that Michigan's jail system, which is designed for sentences of one year or less, offers time cuts for good behavior. Jail inmates who follow the rules, and in some cases who maintain a job in jail, are given time cuts from their sentences. It is possible for jail inmates to serve around 70% of their actual sentences. Yet, this option is not available for prisoners sentenced to more than a year in prison.
Since the Michigan legislature does not appear prepared to join the nationwide push to reduce sentences and incarceration levels, a grassroots effort is now underway to pass a bill allowing Michigan prisoners to earn credits for early release. The Michigan Prisoner Rehabilitation Credit Act is designed to incentivize prisoner participation in self-directed rehabilitation efforts. It will offer time off for maintaining a job in prison, completing a GED, participating in vocational training, or earning a post-secondary degree or certificate. Military veterans, prisoners sentenced as juveniles, and mentally ill, disabled, and elderly prisoners will be able to earn additional credit. Prisoners who catch major misconduct tickets or those who refuse to participate in jobs or programming will (at least temporarily) lose their ability to earn early release credit.
Because this Act is a grassroots effort, it needs your support. We need people who will collect signatures from people who support putting this Act on the ballot. If you believe what statistics show, that prisoners who voluntarily participate in education and job training are much less likely to reoffend, please support this Act.
To learn how you can both sign the petition, and how you can collect signatures yourself, please visit www.mprca.info. You can also connect with this petition drive at www.facebook.com/RepealTISMyth and www.twitter.com/prisonerled.
Many people are affected by loved ones in prison, so share these websites with your friends and family on social media, and add your voice to the many people who believe that prisoners are people too, and that they should not be defined by their worst mistakes.
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