Budget Shortages and Misplaced Priorities in Michigan Prisons

Despite having one of the highest per prisoner costs in the country, Michigan always seems to be short of money for important investments in prison. But that doesn't stop the MDOC from making expensive investments with taxpayer dollars that do little to solve the problems they aim to solve. 

Several Michigan prisons have crumbling infrastructures, and everywhere you look in prison, something isn't working properly or is falling apart. Parnall Correctional Facility, in Jackson, for example, is designated an ADA "medical facility," housing a larger than normal population of disabled or elderly prisoners. Nevertheless, its paved areas inside the prison are crumbling, making it dangerous and difficult for prisoners in wheelchairs and with canes or walkers. Its medication line is outside and uncovered, too, forcing some elderly and ill prisoners to stand outside in inclement weather while waiting for their medications. 

And this is only one of hundreds of examples of infrastructure problems in Michigan's prison system. 

But instead of investing in fixing these problems, prisons like Parnall's install pointless additional fencing in a low security prison and purchase million dollar equipment to allegedly stop illicit drugs from entering the prison. 

After a recent visit with a family member, I waited with the other prisoners for our traditional strip search. This search is meant to discover any contraband prisoners might attempt to smuggle into the prison after a visit. Yet, instead of the traditional one-at-a-time strip search we normally endure, we were ushered into a different process. 

Two officers escorted the group of us prisoners to a different building. After arriving, we had to wait until a Sergeant arrived to supervise (another new process). We were then subjected, one-by-one, to a full body scan with the prison's newest pricy toy, I mean tool. And then we were strip searched anyway. 

I asked the Sergeant how much radiation we were being exposed to, but he claimed they weren't exposing us to anything. The radiation symbols on the papers secured to the wall behind his head seemed to indicate otherwise. Apparently I'm supposed to be too dumb to recognize the symbols. 

The problem I have with this entire new process isn't the triple or quadruple time it takes to process prisoners, despite the MDOC's claims that they are 1000 officers short. It's that the prison staff KNOW this process is unlikely to stop the smuggling of drugs into prison. They know that only a small amount come in through visits and that most come in through corrupt staff members. Yet, only prisoners are exposed to the full body scans and intrusive searches. 

A million-plus dollar investment is not going to solve a problem when the real problem is ignored. But scrutinizing staff members might lead to even worsening shortages. I get it. 

Still, Michigan taxpayers ought to know how the MDOC is spending parts of its $2.2+ BILLION dollar budget to solve probably less than 10% of the drug problem in prison.