If legislators can reach a workable compromise on the intensely complex and emotional issue of water, they can do it on state prison policy, too.
As the Citizens Research Council has repeatedly shown, Michigan’s get-tough-on-crime approach is out of whack with other Midwestern states. This approach isn’t reducing crime but it is eating gigantic holes in the state budget.
The Democratic solution is to reform sentencing laws. The Republican answer is to push for greater cost savings, privatization, and efficiencies in how prisons operate. Perhaps the most concrete argument yet for this approach came this week from state auditors who said Michigan spends $83 million per year on prison food and could nearly cut that bill in half by privatizing operations and adopting other efficiencies in prison food service. Read the full audit here.
How much is $83 million? It’s more than Michigan taxpayers invested last year in 11 of the 15 state universities. Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State, UM-Dearborn, and UM-Flint all received less than $83 million in state appropriation last year.
The bottom line to prison reform… Both approaches — sentencing reform and efficiencies — could help tremendously as the state seeks to redirect limited tax resources into sustainable and savvy investments in Michigan’s future.
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We need a major breakthrough on energy policy! With “peak oil” nearing, we need an all out push both for building significant base load electricity capacity and friendly renewable energy legislation such as an RPs and “feed-in tariffs” that will incentivize large numbers of renewable energy entrepreneurs. Both approaches need to move ahead in parallel. This is a very serious matter as our entire economy is dependent on energy availability. See Sunday’s Grand Rapids Press for information on peak oil. http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/06/peak_oil_theory_gains_local_co.html
Interesting article. Its always good to hear both sides of every issue and the reasons behind the choices.
Reading the article, i would suggest looking at the menu choices and A) eliminating the # of tiny items at each meal and stick with a maximum of 4 food items and 1 beverage, no deserts.
B) reducing the caloric intake and all weight training excersize allowed. Require 20 minutes of military style Cardio work per day, and remove all programs designed to make the inmates stronger than the guards and officers.
Weight lifting burns more calories than cardio does due to longer burn periods, however, cardio is required for better vascular health.
Reduce the level of non-helpful weight lifting, and reduce caloric burn rates.
That would make it safer for officers to deal with convicts, and allow for a lower caloric intake per day, resulting in lower food costs.
As well, how are all the condiments provided?
are they doled out in small portions by the providers or are they freely given out in small vendor packaging as you would see at a restaurant?
If the latter, could a new dispensing system be created to eliminate wasted landfill packaging and wasted packets not eaten by inmates? Are any of the packages capable of being kept and made into a small weapon of some sort?
is whipped butter more expensive than a straight butter patty?
Remember one thing about prisoners.
Most of them have ZERO to lose, which is why they committed crimes in the first place. Those with zero to lose dont have as big of a problem with prison life as you and i would have. Many feel safer in prison than on the street and get caretaking they cant do for themselves in prison.
Thats why its also often dangerous for prison guards. The guards are watching over people with nothing to lose.
Not lumping all prisoners into 1 description, just stating some facts. But those facts should be considered when deciding how much money to spend on taking care of convicted felons with violent crimes, when Prison terms are supposed to be a deterrant for future crimes as a “Correctional” experience meaning the convict will be rehabbed from the experience and see the error of their ways.
We all know that we hear about repeat offenders committing new crimes all the time after being let of out prison.
So for those that want to baby prisoners and lavish them with benefits, and fun stuff, maybe we should rethink our national and state planning on making convicts not want to come back.