(MPRN-Lansing) Prisoner advocates are applauding a new version of legislation to overhaul parole in Michigan.
A state House panel approved bills on Tuesday making it easier for some inmates to get out on parole. Advocates said a previous version of House Bill 4138 did not go far enough. But they say the current version of the bill guarantees many prisoners with a low risk of reoffending will be paroled.
“We certainly didn’t get some big things we wanted,”
said Barbara Levine with the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending (CAPPS).
“But it’s a bill that’s going to have a real meaningful impact on hundreds – possibly, over time, thousands – of prisoners and make real meaningful savings to the corrections department.”
Michigan currently spends about $2 billion on corrections every year. The measure aligns with Gov. Rick Snyder’s recently-announced initiative to cut corrections spending and make Michigan’s criminal justice system more effective. He endorsed the concept behind the legislation during that announcement.
The legislation is still likely to see some opposition from law enforcement groups. State Attorney General Bill Schuette fought hard against similar legislation last year, saying he worried it would compromise public safety. The bill now goes to the full state House.
