CAPPS works closely with the Alliance for Safety and Justice (ASJ) a newly-formed national organization. ASJ is providing CAPPS with resources it needs to carry out a comprehensive reform campaign. In addition, CAPPS and ASJ are working together on public education and outreach to better address the needs of crime survivors, especially those in communities hardest hit by crime [...]
New Statewide Poll Shows Broad, Bipartisan Support for Smarter Justice; public overwhelmingly supports presumptive parole, other reforms OCTOBER 1 - Today the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending (CAPPS) released a new poll showing broad, bipartisan support for corrections reform measures currently moving through the Michigan House of Representatives. “This poll shows Michiganders strongly agree [...]
Associated Press, November 30, 2014 Download>> Savings eyed in criminal justice featured in Associated Press "Michigan lawmakers are considering changes in the state’s criminal justice system, including a fairer path to parole for prisoners and a data-driven effort to rewrite sentencing guidelines for certain crimes. The case is being made by a western Michigan Republican, [...]
Jake Neher, Michigan Radio, November 20, 2014 Click here to read more. "Michigan spends about $2 billion every year on prisons. The legislation seeks to reduce the length of some prison stays and provide more supervision for people after they are released from prison. The most widely supported proposal would create a commission to oversee [...]
Detroit News, September 20, 2014 Click here for the full editorial. Excerpt below: ... Revamping the guidelines for youths could have an added benefit of reducing the state’s hefty $2 billion corrections budget. Allowing those who are not a danger to society to go free or keeping some from ever having to serve time behind bars [...]
July 22, 2014, Bridge Magazine Guest editorial by Grover Norquist With Michigan’s correctional system consuming more and more taxpayer dollars every day, the time is right for a key fiscal question: “How can we get the most from our investment in public safety?” As a lifelong conservative, I’ve been proud to call myself tough on [...]
Laura Sager, CAPPS executive director, wrote a guest Op-Ed for the Detroit Free Press that was published Sunday, Oct. 27th, 2013. In her Op-Ed, Sager argues that the state of Michigan is spending too much money keeping people locked up who are elderly, ill and who have served far beyond their eligible parole dates. This [...]
According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, between FY 2001 and FY 2013 Michigan's spending for corrections rose by 20 percent but dropped by 38 percent for higher education. Take a look at this report: Excessive Spending on Incarceration Undermines Educational Opportunity and Public Safety in Communities NAACP | April 2011 From the report: [...]
By the ACLU’s Center on Budget and Policy Priorities An increasing number of states are considering criminal justice reforms proven to protect the public and produce significant cost savings. For example, some states are offering effective addiction treatment to more people convicted of drug-related crimes instead of incarcerating them. Other states are increasingly turning to [...]
CAPPS research | Public opinion | Polling | Corrections spending | Investing in prevention | 2004 In its monthly statewide omnibus survey for September 2004, EPIC ▪ MRA included a battery of questions commissioned by the Citizens Alliance on Prisons and Public Spending. A solid majority of Michigan voters preferred investing more resources in crime [...]