Revise laws to lower prison costs, keep everyone safer

by Michael Timmis and Pat Nolan in freep.com:

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....

But we have good news.... 

Dec 08, 2009 Policy, Politics, Support, Country:USA

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