Mobilizing on prison reforms

Michigan’s state budget is mired in more than $1 billion in red ink and every interest group with any connection to Lansing is scrambling to hold on to their share of the state budget.

Reforms and wholesale changes are underway in the myriad ways Michigan’s public sector does business, but much deeper reforms and changes inevitable under the extreme economic and budget pressure.

The first opportunity in this reinvention during hard times is the $2 billion Michigan Department of Corrections. The prison system consumes one-fifth of the state’s general fund budget. The issue, already at the forefront of state policy discussions, will escalate this month.

COUNCIL OF STATE GOVERNMENTS JUSTICE CENTER REPORT: A much-anticipated “CSG” report ordered up by legislators and the Granholm Administration will be presented on January 22 in Lansing. CSG is charged with recommending ways for Michigan to: 1) reduce violent crime; 2) reduce recidivism among probationers and parolees; and 3) reduce Corrections spending. We’re hearing mixed reports on what this report will recommend and how sweeping the recommendations will be.

INTEREST GROUP PRESSURE: In December, the Center for Michigan helped organize more than one dozen statewide interest groups who signed a letter urging swift action by the governor and legislature to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in prison spending, as reported by Crain’s Detroit Business. ). Booth Newspapers’ political columnist Peter Luke cited the letter as “critical” to corrections reform (blog.mlive.com/peterluke/2009/01/pressure_to_build_for_2009_pri.html). And, the Grand Rapids Press cited the letter in an editorial this week pressing for corrections reforms. The Press wrote: “In a December letter, 14 state leaders urged action on the prison situation, including the heads of the Grand Rapids Area and Detroit Regional chambers of commerce, the Presidents Council-State Universities of Michigan, Michigan Manufacturers Association and Michigan Municipal League. They insisted inaction will allow costs to grow at a pace that ‘crowds out strategic priorities for the state’s future.’ West Michigan legislators should recognize that as well and push for fundamental changes.”

THE BUDGET CRISIS AND POSITIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS LEADERS AND LEGISLATORS: We’ve had communication from department leaders suggesting that a deal is near on parole reforms that will reduce prison population by tens of millions of dollars per year. Nothing’s been sealed in the Legislature, though, and some legislators are frustrated that more could have been done in lame duck horse trading but was not.

OPERATIONS/FINANCIAL ISSUES: As we understand it, CSG’s work stops well short of a full financial performance audit of the department. Partial audits of various DOC operations have uncovered millions of dollars of inefficiencies and problems in the past year, including questionable overtime, inefficient prisoner transportation, and room for better supply price negotiations. And, while it is unfair to use a broad brush to paint an entire prison system, there is troubling contrast between Michigan’s above average prison guard pay and a Detroit Free Press investigation this week indicating the DOC is likely on the hook for millions of dollars in standing jury awards due to class action suits from female prisoners who’ve brought serious allegations of rapes and sexual assaults over many years.

DEPARTMENT ISN’T STANDING STILL: While Corrections remains the ripest place for reforming the state budget, prison management has not been sitting on its hands. Current prison populations are at their lowest levels in several years, several facilities have been closed, and the rate of parolees and probationers going back to prison has dropped from 36 percent to 26 percent in recent years with the help of better substance abuse treatment and job training.

Prison reform is going to be on Michigan’s front burner for a while.