Michigan Prison Reform

Prison reform is always a hot button issue for politicians to talk about. To appear soft on crime by suggesting any policy change that would result in criminals doing less time in prison has been considered political suicide. But some courageous politicians are beginning to see that the lengthy prison term policies of the last few decades have only served to burden the states (and federal government) with a very costly and overcrowded prison system. 

In Michigan alone, nearly $2 billion of the State's budget goes to the Department of Corrections. Evidence discovered through several recent studies has shown that longer prison sentences do not equate to safer communities or to more rehabilitated prisoners. Yet, some politicians continue to fight for the status quo. 

Undoubtedly, crime should be punished. Victims deserve the assurance that our justice system will punish crime. The problem is in the definition of justice. Many experts are beginning to see the value in restorative justice practices. These practices don't look for retribution only, but restoration between the offender and the community in which they offended. The focus is on repairing the harm done and restoring what can be restored to the victim: monetarily, emotionally, and psychologically. 

Although Michigan continues to resist changes in this direction, recent legislation has sought to begin addressing the mass incarceration problem in Michigan. A fair first step is legislation that would make it harder for the parole board to deny a prisoner parole (when he is eligible) for any reason or for no reason at all. This so called "presumptive parole" bill does not remove the parole board's power to make decisions, but it puts fair guidelines in place to limit their denial of a prisoner's parole to certain important conditions. Although this bill is a common sense first-step solution to over-incarceration, some politicians continue to resist the prison reform our State needs. 

If you'd like to learn more about this bill and other needed reforms so that you can advocate for common sense changes, visit CAPPS or MI-Cure, two prison reform advocacy organizations in Michigan. You can also subscribe to their newsletters if you're interested in staying up to date.