An analysis of 76,721 cases of Michigan prisoners sentenced to indeterminate terms after 1981 and released for the first time from 1986 through 1999. The results show that continuing to incarcerate people who have served their minimum sentences for an additional year or two doesn’t significantly improve public safety. Examining re-offense rates by offense type shows that those sentenced for homicides and sex offenses are least likely to return to prison for new crimes.
