On August 23, 2019 Policy Analyst Josh Hoe submitted written testimony to the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration. Safe & Just Michigan recommends two easy ways to address Pay to Stay practices. First, detain many fewer people by increasing our reliance on alternatives to incarceration and looking at incarceration as a [...]
On August 23, 2019 Policy Analyst Josh Hoe submitted written testimony to the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration. Safe & Just Michigan supports efforts to limit or eliminate the use of cash bail in Michigan. Download>> Bail Reform Testimony
On March 5, 2019 Executive Director John S. Cooper submitted written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee in support of House Bill (HB) 4129 - 30 & 4132. Safe & Just Michigan has long supported creating a special parole for medically frail incarcerated people. HB 4129 ‐ 30 & 4132 propose an important first step [...]
HB 5377, also known as objective parole, is one step closer to becoming law after being approved by the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 5, 2018. The bill would reunite families, reduce Michigan’s budget by $40 million over five years and shrink Michigan’s prison population by as many as 2,400 people. The bill passed [...]
Representative Dave Pagel (R – District 78) and Representative Peter Lucido (R – District 36) have sponsored legislation (HB 4101, 4102, 4103, and 5245) that permits medical parole for the medically frail. Medically frail people are unable to perform basic tasks of daily living without assistance. The bills were voted out of the House of [...]
Currently, the crime victims compensation act prohibits financial assistance to victims of crime that occur in a correctional facility. Senate Bill 845, introduced by Senator Tom Casperson (R – District 38), removes this prohibition if the prosecutor supports the claim. This bill will recognize incarcerated people and their families can also be crime victims that are [...]
On February 6, John Cooper, CAPPS policy director, leaders of two Michigan business associations, a crime survivor organization, a faith coalition, and a conservative interest group testified before the House of Representatives Law and Justice Committee in support of HB 5377. John Cooper, CAPPS policy director, provided written testimony as time was limited. Currently, incarcerated people [...]
On February 6, John Cooper, CAPPS policy director, leaders of two Michigan business associations, a crime survivor organization, a faith coalition, and a conservative interest group testified before the House of Representatives Law and Justice Committee in support of HB 5377. Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is neutral on the bill but provided supporting information to [...]
On January 30, John Cooper, CAPPS policy director, and JT Weis, CEO of Abcor Industries, testified before the House of Representatives Law and Justice Committee at the invitation of the chair, Representative Klint Kesto (R - District 39). Their testimony emphasized the need to increase the available workforce in Michigan and to remove barriers to [...]
On January 30, John Cooper, CAPPS policy director, testified before House of Representatives Law and Justice Committee, at the invitation of the chair, Representative Klint Kesto (R – District 39). Cooper provided testimony in support of HB 5450, 5451, and 5452, which would eliminate overbroad restrictions on the talent pool available to health care providers, and promote [...]