Long-awaited legislation to reform Michigan laws that currently allow juveniles to be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, or JLWOP, was introduced in June and is now awaiting action in the House Criminal Justice Committee. The bills have strong bipartisan support. One of the bills in the package, HB 4809, also includes important [...]
CAPPS issue brief | January 2013 The parole process for lifers People who are serving “parolable life” sentences become eligible for release after either 10 or 15 years, depending on the date of the offense. The parole board must conduct a public hearing at which the prisoner is examined extensively and both supporters and opponents of [...]
For nearly two decades, much of the growth in Michigan's prison system was caused by a decline in parole grant rates. Thousands of prisoners with good institutional records who had served their minimum sentences were denied release annually. The size, and thus the cost, of the prison system depend on how many people enter [...]
Issue background | CAPPS In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Sen. Rick Jones, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced SB 1214. The bill would have added the Attorney General to the list of parties who can appeal a decision to grant parole, along with the county prosecutor and the victim. However, thanks to CAPPS and [...]