On November 12, 2024 the House Criminal Justice Standing Committee heard testimony on a package of bills to advance pretrial reform in Michigan. Safe & Just Michigan Executive Director John S. Cooper provided written testimony and stated: "The pending bill package would eliminate cash bail in many low-level, non-violent cases while leaving the existing system [...]
On June 18, 2024, Justin Counts, former Safe & Just Michigan development fellow, provided written testimony to the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of SB 599. Parole for medically frail people allows MDOC to (1) focus on its core functions (instead of complex health care needs), (2) transition medically frail people into more appropriate [...]
On June 18, 2024, Executive Director John S. Cooper and Policy Advocacy Manager Jazmine testified before the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of SB 599. Parole for medically frail people allows MDOC to (1) focus on its core functions (instead of complex health care needs), (2) transition medically frail people into more appropriate care, [...]
On March 21, 2024, the Michigan Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety heard testimony on Senate Bill (SB) 599. Policy Advocacy Manager Jazmine Wells submitted written testimony to demonstrate support of the bill and urge committee members to do so as well. Parole for medically frail people allows MDOC to 1) focus [...]
On March 19, 2024, the Michigan House Standing Committee on Criminal Justice heard testimony on House Bills (HB) 4556-60. Executive Director John S. Cooper submitted written testimony to demonstrate support of the bills and urge committee members to do so as well. HB 4556-60 would create a process that could help make Michigan’s corrections system [...]
Review the below talking points document to learn more about Medically Frail Reform (Senate Bill 599). Medically frail parole was passed with bipartisan support, with the support of the Michigan Department of Corrections and with a neutral stance from the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan in 2019. Medically frail parole is reserved for people who [...]
Leon Douglas provides testimony in support of Senate Bills 119-123 at the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on April 20, 2023. Download>> Leon Douglas Written Testimony on Senate Bill 119_123
Ronnie Waters, Safe & Just Michigan's community engagement specialist, provided testimony of Safe & Just Michigan in support of Senate Bills 119-123 at the Senate Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on April 20, 2023. Download>> Ronnie Waters Written Testimony Senate Bill 119_123