Issues

 

Reducing corrections spending

Despite a substantial recent decrease in the prisoner population, Michigan still incarcerates nearly 44,000 people and spends $2 billion on Corrections.  CAPPS has developed comprehensive proposals for reducing the prisoner population and in-depth analyses of corrections spending.  Our recommendations comport with those of other Michigan and national groups and with the strategies of other states.

Presumptive Parole

For nearly two decades, much of the growth in Michigan's prison system was caused by a decline in parole grant rates.  Thousands of prisoners with good institutional records who had served their minimum sentences were denied release annually.

Establishing a statutory presumption of parole when the minimum has been served, unless the prisoner has a history of serious institutional misconduct or evidence exists that s/he presents a current risk to public safety, would have several benefits.  It would enforce the minimum sentence, ensure objectivity and consistency in parole decision making, increase parole grant rates, reduce corrections costs and help depoliticize the parole process. 

Parole Process Reforms

CAPPS has long recommended a series of reforms to the parole process that would enhance the objectivity, fairness and transparency of parole decision-making.  These include restoring the prisoner's right to appeal parole denials, just as prosecutors can appeal parole grants.  The availability of judicial review is critical to enforcing statutory parole guidelines and any statutory presumption of parole at the minimum. Other proposed reforms include:  weight factors that predict re-offense risk, apply the parole guidelines to parolable lifers, establish due process safeguards for judicial vetoes of lifer paroles, expedite public hearing process for medically fragile prisoners and waive it for those who are terminally ill.

Sentencing Credits

Restoration of good time, disciplinary credits or some other form of sentencing credits could save the state millions annually.  Michigan's elimination of all such credits in the name of "truth in sentencing" is unique.  Virtually every other state, the federal government and  Michigan's own 83 counties, use credits both to control the size of their prison and jail systems and to encourage positive conduct by prisoners.

 Lifers

More than 5,000 prisoners, 11% of the population, are serving either parolable or non-parolable life.  This aging population is generally very low risk and is becoming increasingly expensive to care for as health problems increase.  Although they became eligible for release after serving 10 years, hundreds of lifers who were caught by changed parole policies have now served 25-35 years or longer.  CAPPS has taken various steps to address the plight of these lifers.  It also supports eliminating the penalty of life without parole for teenagers.

 Prison Programs

Assaultive and sex offenders must complete specified treatment programs before parole will be granted.  However, the MDOC routinely fails to provide timely access to those programs.  As a result, people are commonly denied parole because they were unable to complete a required program, costing prisoners years of their lives and taxpayers millions of dollars.

Sex Offenders

People convicted of sex offenses are the focus of enormous public attention.  Although research has repeatedly shown that sex offenders have lower recidivism rates, public policy is often shaped by fear and misinformation.  Sex offenders are granted parole less often than other offense groups and are subjected to intense monitoring in the community.  While research also shows that monitoring  techniques like the sex offender registry and GPS tracking do little to prevent crime, restrictions imposed by Michigan's sex offender registery have tightened greatly and even further restrictions are placed on probationers and parolees.

Privatization

Concerns about the size of the corrections budget have led many to consider privatizing both specific prison services, like medical and mental health care and prisoner store operations, and the operation of entire prisons.  Proponents of privatization maintain that private contractors can provide equally good or better performance at a lower cost that public facilities.  Many reports have been published by researchers and advocacy groups that analyze these assumptions.  A selection of some recent ones is available here.

 

 

  

"One in 31," The Pew Center on the States, 2009