Williams: Prison reforms are just getting started
Detroit Chamber backs 'good time,' MPRI work October 3, 2010
By
Brad Williams, director, government relations
Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, member
CAPPS Board of Directors
In response to Derek Melot's Aug. 31 column "Prison costs loom over
Michigan," the Detroit Regional Chamber wants to clarify the need for
serious reform within Michigan's corrections system, including programs
that would decrease the prison population.
The Granholm administration took steps to reduce Michigan's prison
population by 5,000 - steps that can easily be reversed by the next
administration. These reform measures need to be set in stone by the
Legislature so that we can continue working on reforms in 2011 instead
of starting all over again.
The Detroit Regional Chamber recommended reforms for the Department of
Corrections that, if implemented by the Legislature, will result in both
short-term and long-term savings. We have set an ambitious goal to
reduce Department of Corrections spending by $500 million.
Reform is a difficult process and we understand that, but implementing
them will have long-term positive effects, even if the results don't
appear immediately. That being said, although budget savings are not
directly visible from Gov. Jennifer Granholm's push to reduce prisoner
population, in the long-run housing fewer prisoners will save the state
money.
Although the budget has not decreased to the point we'd like to see, we
stand by the need for reform in the corrections system. If initial
parole reform efforts had not been implemented, the department's budget
would be in worse shape than it currently is.
We agree with Melot that population reduction efforts should lead to
lower budgets. We stand firm that this will occur when other portions of
the corrections system are also reformed to run more efficiently. Our
recommendations for reforms in the corrections system will help do just
that.
Recommendations include (but are not limited to): Expanding current efforts to de-politicize the parole process (savings
of $120 million). Re-creating the "good time" system that replaces disciplinary credits
with credits for accomplishments that increase the likelihood of success
upon release (savings of $100 million).
Fully implementing the Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative (savings
of $68 million).
? Opening food service to competition by allowing competitive bidding
from the private sector (savings of $39 million).
Our recommendations are projected to save the Department of Corrections
budget more than $800 million. Further, we recommend that the Department
continue with efforts to improve supply chain efficiency and process
improvement that is already showing results.
The Detroit Regional Chamber cautions policy-makers to discourage
efforts to over-punish in an effort to appear "tough on crime." These
efforts continue to drive up corrections costs that our state cannot afford.
We support policies that reduce crime without unnecessarily
incarcerating non-violent criminals and encourage legislative leaders to
do so as well. Our state can't afford to continue its current method of
doing corrections - the time for change is now and the administration's
parole reform efforts are a great start.