The Governor signed the full budget, which outlines the 2018 fiscal year budget for the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), on July 14.
The final budget is $17.5 million below the budget proposed by the Governor earlier this year.
According to Kyle Kaminski, MDOC legislative liaison, the final budget does not include the closure of prisons or re-establish the leased bed program in county jails. It also includes $4.3 million to train 177 new correctional officers to staff vacant positions as result of scheduled staff retirements.
The budget cut $6.5 million in MDOC facility operations. MDOC reports this budget cut is for the existing closure of housing units at five correctional facilities. According to MDOC, however, these are housing units that were previously closed and thus the closures should not affect prisoners.
Although the MDOC predicts a continued decrease in the prison population, it objected to correctional facility closures prior to October 1, due to the potential effect on the incarcerated population.
Learn more about the full budget HERE.