What happens when you bring a task force together including Democrats, Republicans, legislators, victims-rights advocates, county commissioners, law enforcement officers, and formerly incarcerated people? A list of 18 recommendations designed to reduce the jail population across the entire state. According to the original executive order the Michigan Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration was [...]
As 2019 winds down, we thought we’d take a moment to look back at a busy year for criminal justice reform in Michigan and take stock of all that’s happened. From the introduction of Clean Slate to the passage of Raise the Age, the formation of the Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration [...]
Now that the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration has started to meet, you will likely start to hear more about topics such as pay-to-stay, cash bail reform and jail diversion programs. The purpose of the task force is to draft recommendations that will guide the Legislature as it looks for ways [...]
Northern Michigan seeks to expand services for rural communities On September 29, health, veteran, and law enforcement professionals testified before the House C.A.R.E.S. (Community, Access, Resources, Education, and Safety) Task Force at Mid-Michigan Community College in Harrison and offered recommendations on how to improve services for people with mental illness. J. Dee Brooks, prosecuting attorney [...]
The August 29 C.A.R.E.S. Task Force hearing was in Auburn Hills at the Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN). OCHN professionals, Oakland County Law enforcement, local leaders, and public health representatives from the private and public sector offered solutions for improved mental health services. National and local crime survivor advocates shared personal stories and urged enactment [...]
On August 17 the C.A.R.E.S. Task Force hosted a meeting at the Hope Network office in Grand Rapids. Hope Network is an organization providing services that improve the independence of vulnerable populations. Rep. Kesto (R – District 39) opened the hearing by saying that he is seeking “insightful and cutting edge policy recommendations that makes [...]
On July 31, veteran service, health, and law enforcement professionals testified before the C.A.R.E.S. Task Force at the Livingston County EMS building in Howell. The presenters outlined a variety of recommendations including specialized services, improved cross-system communication, and increased access to services. Testimony emphasized the need to reduce the involvement of people with mental health [...]
On May 23, the House of Representatives Law and Justice Committee, heard testimony on how to reduce the number of mentally ill in prison. Judge Milton L. Mack, Jr., state court administrator, State Court Administrative Office, offered recommendations to improve the mental health system. Mack began his testimony by stressing that mental illness is treatable, [...]
CAPPS is pleased to announce that Barbara Levine, CAPPS's associate director for research and policy, was appointed by Governor Snyder to the new Criminal Justice Policy Commission. Levine founded CAPPS in 1998 and served as the organization's executive director, until she decided to focus on research and policy beginning in 2012. CAPPS had long advocated for reinstating [...]