|
|
| Revise laws to lower prison costs, keep everyone safer |
| By freep.com |
| Published: 11/30/2009 |
|
Michigan has more than an economic crisis -- we have a crime crisis, too. And we won't be able to solve the overall budget shortfall without making significant cuts in the corrections budget. Our current criminal justice system is costing us over a billion dollars a year, far more than our neighboring states are spending. Yet despite this huge expense for corrections, our communities are still plagued by crime. Here are a few troubling facts: • Michigan's violent crime rate is higher than all other states in the Great Lakes region. • Corrections is the third most expensive item in Michigan's budget, with only health care and education costing more. • The Michigan Department of Corrections employs one out of every three state workers. The current budget crisis requires us to examine every facet of state spending to find ways to make it more efficient. The Department of Corrections is no exception. Nearly half of the 14,000 inmates released this year are expected to return to prison within two years. If the Legislature doesn't adopt smart reforms that reduce this failure rate, corrections costs will continue to devour larger and larger portions of the budget. We can no longer afford to continue the revolving door of prisons. But we have good news. There are proven ways to cut the high cost of Michigan's prisons without increasing the risk to the public. Read More. |
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think