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Research
Reports
Publications based on
research conducted by CAPPS.
Denying parole at first eligibility:
How much public safety does it actually buy? A
study of prisoner release and recidivism in Michigan
When 'life' did not mean life: A
historical analysis of life sentences imposed in
Michigan since 1900.
Foreign
Nationals in Michigan Prisons: an examination of the
prison costs.
Penny-wise
& pound-foolish: Assaultive offender programming and
Michigan's prison costs

No way out:
Michigan's parole board redefines the meaning of
'life'

The
high cost of denying parole: an analysis of
prisoners eligible for release |
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CAPPS testifies on bills on
non-parolable life sentences for juveniles.
June 23, 2010 Click
here.
| Winter Consensus
● MDOC
budget, prisoner population edge down but
still lock up state resources.
●
Bills to restore sentence credit spark
debate.
●
CAPPS 10-Point Plan gains traction.
● More hearings for
lifers, commutations still can’t meet need.
Click
here. |
CAPPS study
shows denying parole when
people first become eligible does little to
reduce crime; those convicted of homicide
and sex offenses rarely commit new crimes
against people; serving more time does not
increase the likelihood of success upon
release. Click
here for
the news release. Click
here to
read the full report. Click
here to see
press coverage. |
The
Sentencing Project reports
downsizing of prison systems in 4
states,
including Michigan.
Changes in parole
approval rates; CAPPS perspective on problem
cited
Click
here to see the report.
See also The State
of Sentencing 2009
here.
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CAPPS Executive Director responds to
corrections reform legislation.
See prepared
testimony
here.
|
Council of State Governments Justice
Center recommendations
| CAPPS responds to Justice Center
recommendations; offers safe cost-saving
alternatives
"While the Justice
Center options provide a useful starting
point for discussion, they are modest in
their vision and their impact."
Click
here to review the response. |
| News coverage and
editorial responses to the Justice
Center recommendations.
Here. |
SB 827
would enact recommendations
●Legislation
●CAPPS testimony
|
CAPPS announces
Ten-Point Plan to Reduce Corrections
Spending in 2010.
(click
here) .
Comprehensive strategy would:
●
reserve prison beds for dangerous
offenders.
●
promote successful
re-entry.
●
increase parole rates
for those who have served minimum sentences.
●
save taxpayers
hundreds of millions of dollars.
Conservative
recommendations rely on common corrections
practices. |
| Presume parole at the
minimum, barring objective factors
indicating risk, to save the state
millions of dollars and to restore fairness
to the parole system, says Executive
Director Barbara Levine in an opinion piece in the
Lansing State Journal. Click
here to read the article. |
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Contact
CAPPS at: 403 Seymour Ave., Suite 200
Lansing,
MI
48933
Phone:
517-482-7753 Fax: 517-482-7754
E-Mail:
capps@capps-mi.org
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Should sentence credits be restored?
Legislation to restore good time.
Click
here
Testimony by Barbara R. Levine,
executive director,
here
Former
MDOC research executive, William Kime,
weighs in on issue
here
Lansing
State Journal presents opposing
viewpoints
here
State Bar
Prisons & Corrections Section supports
credits
here
Detroit
News and Detroit Free Press endorse
restoring good time
here
National
Conference of State Legislatures reports
on growth of earned credits nationwide
here
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Increased prisoner
releases spark debate
House subcommittee
hears early release arguments
ABC Ch. 12, Flint, March 9
2010
| Commutations up; governor's action
supported, challenged
Prisoner commutations
have been rare and safe for public
By Steven C. Liedel, The Detroit Free Press,
editorial, Feb. 14, 2010
Granholm makes
sensible case for prisoner clemency
The Free Press, editorial, Feb. 10, 2010
Melot: At least
governor is trying; prosecutors voluble
about paroles, quiet about dollars
By Derek Melot, editorial writer, the
Lansing State Journal, Jan. 26, 2010.
Free Press series by
Dawson Bell
●Gov.
Granholm releases prisoners at record rate She has freed 124 -- including killers.
Click here.
Jan. 7, 2010
●
Violent felons whose
terms were commuted by Granholm.
Click here. Jan. 7, 2010
●
Granholm denies
killer's freedom request.
Click here.
Feb. 8, 2010 |
Prosecutors
fight Michigan's freeing of violent offenders
By Mike Martindale and Mike Wilkinson, The Detroit
News, Feb. 26, 2010
Levine: Put perspective on
parolee data
Extra years in prison not worth cost
By Barbara Levine, executive director, CAPPS,
editorial comment, the Lansing State Journal, Feb.
25, 2010
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Can Michigan cut its
corrections budget by 25
percent? The $500 million question
The Lansing State Journal
began a three-day special report Sept. 13,
2009 that tackles reduction of the size of
the state's prison system as a cost-saving
measure. CAPPS' positions were given
attention in the series, which includes
video interviews featuring CAPPS Executive
Director Barbara Levine, MDOC Director
Patricia Caruso and Sen. Alan Cropsey.
Click
here. |
|
Business groups urge corrections
reforms
Detroit Chamber of
Commerce recommends steps to reduce the
state's prison population. See
here.
Detroit
Renaissance
plan to reshape state spending includes
reducing state's prison population.
See
here. |
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