Michigan Votes Forum

5-15-08 My son should have been home.He has been ther for three years and again turn down. He is a good kid and never has been in trouble in his life. He has never been in any trouble in prison, and his scores are out standing, his work is out standing he has done everything required of him classes and then some more he worked hard to get home to his family we had jobs lined up for him, a place to stay, we would have looked into a school for him but we wanted to wait until he was more closer to come home. Not all Michigan is doing is wasting money by keeping him thereand wasting a young mans life.

We have good news to report! On May 15, the Michigan House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed HB 5329, 5830, 5831 and 6015. These bills would help some people who are serving very harsh mandatory minimum drug sentences for offenses committed before March 1, 2003 (the date previous sentencing reforms went into effect). Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) and other advocates and groups have been working since 2003 to expand upon the ground-breaking sentencing reforms that made Michigan a national leader in “smart on crime” sentencing policies. Thanks to the unflagging support of FAMM members, we’ve cleared another hurdle in the legislative process that leads to fairer sentencing laws. In other heartening news, Governor Jennifer Granholm commuted the mandatory sentences of two FAMM members last week, Sally Smith and Ronald Seegar. To read more about Sally Smith, a long-time FAMM member, click here. Next steps Now FAMM’s legislative work moves to the Senate, where we will work hard to keep these reforms moving through the legislative process. FAMM will keep you informed about movement of the bills through ealerts, the FAMMGram, and our website, www.famm.org. Please take time to also thank your Michigan representative for supporting smart and fair sentencing laws! Explanation of the bills passed on May 15: HB 5829, sponsored by Rep. Bert Johnson (D-Detroit), affects individuals who are currently incarcerated. This is the main bill in the package. It includes language that: - Expands the 2003 early parole eligibility provisions for some individuals who are serving consecutive drug sentences for offenses that occurred before March 1, 2003. Sentences for conspiracy and for some substantive offenses committed before March 1, 2003, will be treated as concurrent (served together rather than one after another) for purposes of parole eligibility only (sentences do not change). Please check the bill for details and call Tom Burkert (information below) with questions. - Makes individuals serving life without parole for second drug offenses eligible for parole after serving 15 years. - Provides parole eligibility at half of the minimum sentence for each under-50 gram offense committed before March 1, 2003, that is in a string of consecutive drug sentences. - Provides parole eligibility at 17.5 years for individuals who committed over-650 gram offenses prior to March 1, 2003, and were sentenced to a term of years. - Provides earlier parole eligibility to some "650 lifers" with a prior low-level drug offense. HB 5830, sponsored by Rep. Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing): - Repeals the repeat drug offender law (this does not effect those whose offenses were committed prior to the effective date of the new law.) HB 5831, sponsored by Rep. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge): - Makes technical changes to the criminal code to make the probation language consistent with the 2003 reforms. HB 6015, sponsored by Rep. John Stakoe (R-Highland Township): - Allows prosecutors to charge individuals who commit repeat drug offenses as habitual felons under the same provisions used for other repeat offenses. (This does not affect those whose offenses occurred before the effective date of the new law.) PLEASE NOTE: These bills may change in the legislative process. We do not know how long it will take to finally win these reforms – the session ends on December 31, 2008, and action on the bills can happen at any time. We will need everyone's active support to ensure that the bills continue through this process. Remember – under the proposed reforms affecting individuals serving mandatory minimum drug sentences for offenses committed prior to March 1, 2003, the parole board will determine in each individual case the appropriate time for parole – just as they do now. These proposals do not change sentences, as that would be unconstitutional. You can find copies of the bills at www.michiganlegislature.org. If you need instructions finding the bills on the website, or would like a copy of the bills mailed to you or have questions, please contact Tom Burkert at tomburkert@famm.org or (517) 487-1261, Mon. – Fri., 9 AM to 5:30 PM. Tom can help you understand the bills, determine what to say in your call, and identify your own legislator. Please leave a message with your name and phone number, if you do not reach him immediately and he will call you back. Thanks again for your support! Please stay involved and look for more information from FAMM in the near future.

Well, I got the parole notice of decision today, here is what it says: 12 months continuance: reconsideration date: 08/28/2009 Substantial and Compelling reasons for guideline departure: "P needs to develop a better understanding of his addiction for alcohol and why he continues to choose to drink and drive. Needs to get involved in RSAT to reduce risk." He's been on the waiting list for 5 months now. The Prisoner's prior post conviction corrections history includes: -A history of probation failure -A history of parole failure -Continued substance abuse under parole/probation supervision -Commission of crime while under supervision -New criminal behavior on parole/probation He was stopped for a "road rage" incident that his truck "looked" like the truck in question. It wasn't him and he was never charged with that crime, so all he got was OUIL 3rd. Regarding the prior post conviction sanctions, it is our belief the prisoner: -Fails to understand correlation between failure(s) and risk -lacks insight into earlier failures -provides excuses for failures He stated at parole hearing that he took full responsibility for his own actions and his own lack of judgment and stupidity. Recommendations for corrective action which may facilitate release: -Demonstrate responsible behavior by earning positive reports in any programs you may be involved in. Has these with AA, work pass, no major or minor tickets in the 13 months he's been in so far -Enter into or continually involve yourself in substance abuse programming. Again, attending two AA meetings a week and 5 months on waiting list for RSAT -Identify and develop a positive placement program addressing methods to control substance abuse. Is set up with a counseling center in our hometown, has an AA sponsor, and AA meetings to attend -Identify and develop community resources to address special needs identified through group therapy. Has parole plan outlined: has employment, has transportation, has counseling, has person to install ignition lock on my vehicle, willing to wear SCRAM-alcohol tether, has AA sponsor. So I'm at a loss as to what more they want.

My husband also had a high probability for parole, has completed all asked of him, no major/minor tickets, on work pass, etc. Judge agreed to recommendation by parole agent who did pre-sentence investigation to a minimum of 10 months. He's been in 13 months so far and was just given another 12 months, which will start in 3 months. So the parole board has determined that 10 months wasn't long enough and has given him a total of 25 months. Nice to know they have that much power...NOT!!

is with him TAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN A VISIBLE, not just VERBAL manner. just a thought. you have to BE responsible, not just SAY you are responsible.

should a person "take responsibility" for any crime he did not commit in order to secure his release from prison? those of us who have been awake for a fair number of years are well aware that the totalitarian Communist Bloc demanded exactly that of people the despots imprisoned, as a condition of their release back into society. aren't we superior to the communists and socialists we so despise, new? what ever happened to the concepts of justice and truth which, from a morality perspective, go hand in hand?

we are talking about immoral people who kill for fun, and who lie just to hear their heads rattle. why should a person take responsibility for a crime they didn't commit? well, if they are let off for one crime, they get to do the time for the one they confessed to. now THAT IS STUPID. unless they are just trying to clear their concience.

He has shown responsibility in the 13 months he has been imprisoned. He has been on the waiting list since November for RSAT, he has taken it upon himself to go to AA meetings at every place he has been at in these 13 months (he has been moved 9 times) and not for anything he has done. He has gotten good reviews at every place, he has gotten jobs, he is now on a work pass to work for the DNR. Now that he has been at one place for 5 months, he has attended AA twice a week, attends church twice a week, was asked to be unit rep, has support letters from family and friends, has employment when he gets out, has a home to come home to, has transportation to his job, AA meetings, one-on-one counseling set up. He and I are at a loss as to what more they are asking for when he is a "high probability for parole" and has done everything asked of him.

You have really got to be kidding everyone when you make a statement "TAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN A VISIBLE" manner? How would you do more in a place where being visible is not a good idea and they don't want you to be visible. This inmate sounds as if he has done VERY VISIBLE things to achieve "corrective" behavior or "rehabilition". I isolate those words because in the MDOC, they mean nothing. They just see an easy low maintenance inmate that they can get 30,000 + a year for and keep a LOT of people at the MDOC employed. That is what this is all about, not the safety of the public. The parole board does not really care about the safety of the public. It is a LIE!

Glad for the HB passing those bills, but what about this one. What is happening on this? Sitting in the house for a second reading. It will probably sit there and die. It's all politics and employement. They have to keep those unionized c/o's employed.

that THIS would be the thread that g-ma and company would support, but NO... they support RELEASING INMATES instead of FIXING THE PROBLEM THEY CONTINUALLY BITCH ABOUT. typical liberal.

a misguided poster wrote... "You have really got to be kidding everyone when you make a statement "TAKING RESPONSIBILITY IN A VISIBLE" manner? [no, i'm not kidding. it's the ONLY way to impress the parole board, and that is the only way out of prison without doing your entire stretch.] How would you do more in a place where being visible is not a good idea and they don't want you to be visible. [first off, being IN prison is not a good idea to begin with, so THAT was a stupid thing to say. second, who cares whether or not they WANT YOU TO BE VISIBLE? rehabilitation isn't about doing the EASY thing, it's about doing the RIGHT THING.] This inmate sounds as if he has done VERY VISIBLE things to achieve "corrective" behavior or "rehabilition". [i beg to differ. all he is done is the MINIMUM THAT WAS EXPECTED OF HIM in order to qualify for parole.] I isolate those words because in the MDOC, they mean nothing. [so do the EMPTY PROMISES made by inmates daily. they all PROMISE to be good, not to re-offend, not to assiciate with known felons. none of them DO ANYTHING ABOUT THOSE PROMISES.] They just see an easy low maintenance inmate that they can get 30,000 + a year for and keep a LOT of people at the MDOC employed. [no, they see a TYPICAL CRIMINAL that has no other skills in life other than those that will end his sorry ass in jail. he can't even lie well enough to get parole.] That is what this is all about, not the safety of the public. The parole board does not really care about the safety of the public. [no one here cares about the 'safety of the public'. the public is only here to pay the bills, not be protected by government. when are you going to wake up out of your publicly schooled malaise and realize that?] It is a LIE! [yes, it is. but YOU VOTED FOR IT... SEVERAL TIMES.]

According to another post: [i beg to differ. all he is done is the MINIMUM THAT WAS EXPECTED OF HIM in order to qualify for parole.] He has gone above and beyond what was expected of him in order to qualify for parole. How do you expect him to get into the required classes when he was moved once a month for nine months straight for no other reason than to keep going back and forth across the bridge? He has a high school diploma, he would like to get out and take some college classes to better himself. He has employment waiting for him. He has substance abuse classes, an AA sponsor, outpatient counseling, willing to wear tether, ignition lock device all on the "outside". So what else do you propose he do to make him more viable for parole? BTW he is a non-violent offender.

not chosen to do the stupidity that sent him to jail in the first place, but that would be too much to ask, wouldn't it? him being moved should have no impact on what prison programs he is eligible for, and which ones he can participate in. i doubt seriously that he is being moved 'just to cross the bridge'. perhaps there is something we are not being told.

He was stupid for putting himself in there in the first place. He knows it and I know it. But he is ready to change his life around. Yes he was moved a lot...he had to go to court in a southeastern county and they knew it but yet the MDOC put him in the U.P. They brought him back down for court, only to take him back up to the U.P. again. He was not moved for any reason, he has never had any major or minor tickets, it's stated right in his Parole Eligibility Report (which I have in front of me) so don't assume he was moved all these times for "some reason". I'm simply stating that getting to one place and waiting a week or so to be classified in order to get into AA classes or to go to church, then going for three weeks and then getting moved to another facility to start the process over again is a waste of time and money. He finally got to the only place where Residential Substance Abuse classes are offered and he's been on a waiting list for 5 months. So the parole board gives him another 12 months to wait. If they want him in substance abuse classes so bad, there are some very good programs and an inpatient program 20 minutes from our house. They could let him out on tether and mandate that residential program at his expense, not the taxpayers.

logic. your house is close to where he got the drugs that got him into trouble in the first place. let's try this. let's release him till he fails his first RANDOM drug test. we don't have to know WHERE he is, like a tether tells us. we need to know what he's putting into his system, like a urine test tells us. these need to be done on a RANDOM basis, as in, HE DOEN'T KNOW WHEN THEY ARE COMING, and they need to be done OFTEN ENOUGH that they don't allow him ANY LEEWAY in taking drugs. passing ALL those tests, given for the rest of his term, would show that he has CHANGED. failing ONE would show he hasn't. how about it?

I'm not sure where you got the drug idea from. If you would read my post, I said he was going to AA and he was arrested for OUIL 3rd (that alcohol). He has never done any drugs and therefore he would never fail a drug test. Of course he can get alcohol (beer) near our house, since we live by grocery stores and gas stations. Come on, you want to keep him in prison because of that? That is what he needs the substance abuse treatment for....beer.

SCRAM (you can look it up) would tell us if he's put one drop of alcohol in his system. That is the kind of tether I'm talking about. He would pay for it himself, not the taxpayers, while he is attending inpatient alcohol treatment and AA classes and working at his job.

that is 5 miles from our house that does do random drug tests and Breathalyzers. He would have to call in every morning and find out if he needs to go there that day within 1/2 hour to test.

abuse treatment for his INABILITY TO DRIVE A CAR WITHOUT BEER. and for his INABILITY TO OBEY THE LAW. he is severely lacking in BOTH skills. now, a RANDOM test is just that, RANDOM. he would be tested at RANDOM TIMES OF THE DAY AND NIGHT to make sure he is compliant with the terms of his release. if his 'problem' is beer, then a breathalyzer test might be a way to go as well. i think he should have to do both. just to make sure he's not 'dabbling' in other drugs while he's out. by the way, HE MADE the choice to drive, not once (which could have been called a MISTAKE) but THREE TIMES. which can only be called STUPIDITY. let's say that we enforce the THREE STRIKES AND YOU'RE OUT rule and stop him from driving drunk again, EVER. three times caught means HOW MANY TIMES HE WASN'T CAUGHT? there could have been HUNDREDS. how do you DEFEND THAT?

Please keep Charlie Brown and g-ma out of this one. Just like you. This bill would right what is wrong with the parole board process now. If this is passed, and if the GOP has its way, it won't pass it, it would allow the parole board to really do a better job at determining whether an inmate is really ready for parole. The only problem is that the parole board members will have to take out their own personal bias from their decision making. They will have a hard time doing that. Also, can you use a more civilized language when you post here? thank you.

Keeping him in prison for the rest of his life to ensure that he doesn't drive?

he never be able to get a license to drive, ever. that MAY NOT STOP HIM, but if he has CHANGED, and REHABILITATED as you say, he won't drive again. i know, that chances of THAT are pretty slim, seeing as since he's ALREADY violated the law THREE TIMES, but it's worth a try. oh, by the way, put it in writing that when he violates the law THIS time, he gets TEN YEARS FLAT TIME. that might slow him down some.

this law change anything that the parole board does other than to make them CONSIDER good time credits. that's all this bill can do. it mandates NOTHING but consideration. it says NOTHING about mandating that they do ANYTHING after they CONSIDER whether or not the good time credits mean anything. as long as you give the parole board DISCRETION in who gets paroled, you will have the problem of NOT EVERY OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE INMATE WILL GET PAROLE. when you take discretion away, you no longer NEED A PAROLE BOARD. they are only a 'whipping boy', standing by to take the blame if they can't decide who gets paroled.

Please keep Charlie Brown and g-ma out of this one. Just like you. This bill would right what is wrong with the parole board process now. [how, all it mandates is CONSIDERATION.] If this is passed, and if the GOP has its way, it won't pass it, it would allow the parole board to really do a better job at determining whether an inmate is really ready for parole. [how can this bill pass? it's dead in committee and even the chairman of the committee won't consider bringing it back up on the floor.] The only problem is that the parole board members will have to take out their own personal bias from their decision making. [they can't. it's mandated by law. they have SOLE DESCRETION as to whether an inmate gets parole. unless you take away that discretion, their biases are what helps them make those decisions. now, take away the RESPONSIBILITY for releases gone wrong, and i'm sure the parole board will just go nuts releasing inmates.] They will have a hard time doing that. Also, can you use a more civilized language when you post here? thank you. [have you even read all the posts here? i think not. i've personally been called everything from a twisted individual to a son-of-a-bitch for simply disagreeing with a liberal. now, if you want civilized language, all you have to do is get the libs around here to stop all their stupid name calling. it's just that easy. besides, i have no control over what OTHER posters write, only what CRAZYCAJUN writes. and CRAZYCAJUN sometimes feels compelled to tell it like it is.]

why don't you put your support behind THIS bill? it CHANGES THE PAROLE LAWS and ACTUALLY MANDATES ACTION. it is an HONEST ATTEMPT TO CHANGE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN BITCHING ABOUT. the only thing it DOESN'T do is mandate early release, that must be why you don't support it. that, and your grandchild has ALREADY BEEN PAROLED, you do no longer care about parole reform.

that the Parole Board out of 10 members has 4 ppl is the "public people?" "The "Citizens'" Parole Board One would like to think that a battered woman's petition for clemency would be approved or denied according to the merits of the woman's case and her prison record. Unfortunately, in Michigan, as elsewhere, it is the composition of the Parole Board and the occurrence of high profile crimes by recent parolees which ultimately determines whether a petitioner is released. The current Michigan Parole Board has shown itself to be extremely unsympathetic not only to women seeking clemency, but to many prisoners seeking parole. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, about two-thirds of Michigan prisoners who applied for parole were released. 58 In 1995, the Parole Board approved only about half of the appeals it heard. 59 The Parole Board's reluctance to grant parole is causing the Michigan prison population to soar, even when the number of incoming inmates is declining. Between 1985 and 1995, Michigan's prison population has skyrocketed from 17,744 to 41,112. 60 A report to the Michigan Sentencing Commission states that if the Board continues these parole practices, the prison population will reach 65,000 by the year 2007. That is an increase of 20,000 in ten years. 61 Tight Parole Board control has caused a drastic increase in prison population for two reasons: 1. Michigan's indeterminate sentencing policy allows the Parole Board great power over a prisoner's out-date. 62 Under an indeterminate sentencing system, a sentencing judge gives prisoners a minimum term proportional to the crime committed. The Parole Board then sets the exact amount of time to be served according to post-sentencing factors. The current Parole Board does not assume that the prisoner should be released at the end of the minimum sentence. 2. The current Parole Board revokes parole for minor and technical violations of parole conditions. Critics contend that while the Parole Board's function should be to assess whether a person poses a danger to society, it has, in fact, become a re-sentencing court. 63 This re-sentencing function is especially dangerous since prisoners do not have a right to counsel or to dispute inaccurate information at their hearing. The Parole Board's reluctance to grant clemency or parole can be traced to an incident in 1992 in which a parolee committed a series of rape-murders. 64 The ensuing public outrage led to formation of a "law and order" Parole Board. From 1976 to 1992, Parole Board members all had corrections experience and civil service protection. 65 Following the 1992 incident, the Board was stripped of its civil service protection and completely reconstituted. Today, the Director of the Department of Corrections appoints Parole Board members. Stature requires that at least four members have no prior Department of Corrections employment. Thus, the Parole Board has gone "from a professional Board with corrections experience to a 'citizens' board not required to have any experience with prisons or prisoners." 66 (See appendix 7 for an up-to-date list of Parole Board members.) Because the Parole Board may be held politically accountable for the actions of parolees, it may deny parole or clemency to any controversial candidate." The Parole board cannot be as strong in power as they say they are IF they have to "hire" the public people to make the rulings for them

The parole board is basicallyonly trying to save their own asses....No one can honestly determine what choices another person is going to make based on what they have or havent done before even if you have known someone your whole life this coudnt be determined.. cause look at alot of the reasons ppl are in prison...ultimatly murderers or sexual offenders should have their parole guidelines be more thoroughly examined..considering their crimes, but probation violators and drug offenses come on jail time would be less expence for taxpayers and more room in prisons...then the parole bard wouldnt hav to worry about their sorry asses gettin blamed for releasing prisoners

I TOTALLY AND 100000000% AGREE WITH EVERYTHING U JUST SAID.....ITS ALL BULLSH*$ WITH THE STUPID ASS GOVERNMENT....ITS ALL ABOUT THEM AND UNFORTUNITLY IT WILL PROBABLY STAY THAT WAY...MY ADVICE (AND IM GOING TO TAKE IT MYSELF) IS TO WRITE,CALL JUST BASICALLY COMPLAIN TO THE GOVS OFFICE...IF ENOUGH PPL DO IT MAYBE SOMETHING CAN GET DONE ABOUT IT......IF ANYONE AGREES AND DOES IT THE BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!

vRYeff FFFIILLUUUSSS4,

Soon I will initiate a petition to amend section 791.231a. I believe the current parole board and it's practices are harming Michigan. I am on parole. I committed a non-violent crime 10 years ago at 18 years of age. I have seen it go from being hard to get out of prison to the current practice of impossible to get off parole. It is literally as though they want to keep as many of us on parole as possible until (somehow) society's agenda once again turns to building more prisons and unnecessarily housing more prisoners. Enough is enough, how long must we live fearing that one day we will arbitrarily be torn away from our families. Actually with parole costs increasing exponentially why not do away with parole altogether. We already have mandatory minimums. I got sentenced to 3 years. Did 6 and am still on parole yet have committed no new crimes. I'm 28 and have yet to live life without fear.

Rehabilitation is a joke in prison. There are no institutional programs that actually help prisoners return to society with the tools they need to be productive and succeed. The drug programs help, but prisoners need more than a simple class that teaches them to write resumes and conduct interviews. We can't get the interview in the first place if we don't have skills and education to put on the resume. You want to help prisoners? Bring back some degree programs. Or trade programs with actual need in society, such as nursing programs or a technology related field. Without new ways of thinking and without new skills to apply, all the prisoner knows is the same thing he knew when he came to prison, and once thrust into the world it won't be long before he reverts back to what he knows. It is literally hard to even begin conversations once released. What do we talk about? How much Jo-Jo lifted in the pit last week? But with new skills and broader education we actually become members of society. Doesn't education level correlate with crime rates? The facts are there, no matter how you twist the numbers we know that what is going on now isn't working. Abolish parole for nonviolents, minimize parole agents, use the savings to establish real life programs of education and training in careers seeing shortages of qualified people. If you don't begin actually helping than we all hurt.

dx1e1s Hello I am Russo

This is a step in the right direction to revamping the parole board gestapo!!

Send a thank you to your local representative if they voted for this bill. It is now up to the Senate to pass this. Contact your Senator and encourage them to vote for this bill. here is a link that lists all of the senators and their information. http://senate.michigan.gov/senators/senfull2007.htm

will pass this too! Please take the time to email/call/write your Senators to urge them to take action on this. This is a step in the right direction to keeping control over the parole board members and allowing the inmates who are completing everything asked of them, to be paroled, not flopped.

It is time to contact your Senators to pass this bill in the Senate!! It will help keep track of the parole board, as it was intended, and allow the inmate to appeal a denial if they have a high parolable score.  It will save money in the Corrections budget.  Please write, call, email your local senator today to get this passed during the lame duck session!