Michigan Votes Forum

Im speaking from being a victim several times throughout my life:

I have been trying to see something passed on this issue for a long time. I believe that the bill should allow for "good time" releases. There are far too many people in this country in prison for crimes in which they didnt commit as well as the punishment did not fit the crime. Also, even for the people that has spent lots of years for crimes they did commit. If the sole purpose of prison is to rehabilitate then people should be allowed an opportunity to be released if they have comformed and showed that they can become a productive citizen.

Lastly, from a budget stand point and tax payer the early release program will reduce spending for prisons and over crowded prisons. Please approve this bill! Thanks

 This is coming from a prisoner's wife's perspective.  Of course it is just my opinion though.  I agree that prisoners should get good time credits if they are able to show that they can conform to rules and regulations and have demonstrated that they have worked on rehabilitating themselves. 

I do however feel that prisoners should serve at least their minimum sentence.  I think good time credits could be taken off the back end of their term.  I also think that the parole board should only exist for those who violate their parole guidelines.  I think everyone should be released on their earliest release date if they have completed all their RG&C requirements and not had any major misconduct tickets for the last 1/3 of their sentence (1/3 was just an arbitrary number).  JMO!

 how about not being eligible for release until the minimum has been reached, and then only if they meet all requirements and have had no misconduct tickets at all? that would show that an inmate is serious about conforming to the rules and regulations. and how about we tack on the remaining sentence if the inmate re-offends? and then, how about if an inmate is on a second sentence, they are not eligible for early release at all?

I have been a victim before and have had family members as victims, but also have family members incarcerated. We all have to realize people make mistakes and not all sentences fit the crime - I think that since all the other states have good time Michigan should have it. With the mess this state is in bidget wise it is a smart move as well as you can not rehabilitate a person when they spend years upon years in a place such as a prison and let me tell you it is not what all these people who run around talk about. They don't get tehse fancy meals and we don't pay for frills for these people the families send them money for them to buy things they need, phone calls were 7-8.00 each for 15min until this past year. Why is so many of them dying in there with all these diseases and cancers if they get such great health care, come on people lets face it. Yes some of them need to be locked up but there are some that don't deserve the years they have rec'd. A first time offense like my son who has never been in trouble, military, good person, husband and 3 small children made a mistake and ended up with 6-20 years come on that is a little ridiculous any other state would have been 1-2 years or probation! We need people who will stand up and say enough Michigan lets get some people in this state that will bring jobs and make things happen and we don't need to have innocent people sitting behind bars. Another thing do you honestly feel people who don't pay child support should go to prison- GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 I THINK THIS BILL SHOULD BE REVISED.THERE ARE MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE LOCK UP AND HAVE CHANGED THERE LIFE AROUND AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE. AND THIS COST TAXES PAYERS MONEY HAVE PEOPLE LOCK UP FOR SO LONG FOR INSTANT THE NON-VILIONET PEOPLE.

 I agree. However, I believe that even people with violent convictions and have done a considerable amount of their sentence and have displayed good behavior should also be allowed early releases.

 I AGREE WITH YOU TOO. IF YOU ARE SHOWING THAT YOU ARE A CHANGED PERSON THEN YES YOU SHOULD BE ABLE GET TIME KNOCK OFF FOR GOOD BEHAVOIR.THEY NEED TO MAKE CHANGES IN THE CORRECTONS AREA ASAP. CAUSE OUR STATE IS GOING DOWN HILL

 I AGREE  WITH YOU THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO IF THEY HAVE SHOWED THAT THEY HAVE CHANGED

 I think no misconduct tickets at all is a bit much.  I have seen people get tickets because they were sick and missed an appointment.  That shouldn't keep them from getting out early.  I don't think the general public is aware of the things that people can get tickets for.  Simple things that you and I take for granted, they can get a ticket for.  At one prison there is a yellow stripe painted on the sidewalk.  If you step over the line you can get a misconduct ticket for being out of place.  I think there are some offenses that should warrant spending a little more time in prison, such as fighting, substance abuse, etc.  Those make sense but some of the other stuff is stupid!!  JMO

 I fully support the passing of the "good time" bill .  If it's appropriate to use in our county jails and federal prisons, then there's no reason not to use it in the state prison system.  If someone is going to re-offend, they're going to do it whether they serve their minimum, maximum or are released early with good time credit.  There's no need to punish everyone for the few that are sure to re-offend.  So many times the sentence does not fit the crime and good men and women who made stupid mistakes are costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands when they could be out working to support those who truly need to stay incarcerated.  We must learn forgiveness in order to be forgiven.

Can you tell me if this is only for federal prisioners in Michigan only?

admin:

Introduced in the House on March 4, 2009

Click here to view bill details.

 I FEEL THEY SHOULD BRING GOOD BEHAVIOR BACK BECAUSE THEY ARE INMATE. THAT HAS WENT TO PRIONER AND LEARN THERE LESSON. THEY HAVE BEEN PUINSH ENOUGH BY GOING TO  JAIL. NOW THEY HAVE IMPROVE THERESELVES WHY DO THEY HAVE TO STILL BE PUNISH. LETS GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIFE.

 IT IS LONG PAST TIME THAT THIS GOOD TIME SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE AS A LAW . THE STATE SHOULD GET OFF THERE ASSES AND VOTE THIS IN SO THAT THIS STATE CAN START MOVING IN THE RECOVERY DIRECTION.

 Yes, I have a loved one in prison and he has shown sincere abilities to become progressive in his sentence and has had a stable behavior record since being incarcarated.  I strongly agree that Good Behavior should play a definate role in how the board should make their decision for a prisoners time off.  The cost of keeping prisoners in prison should out way the punishment.  I want my husband to be rewarded for his efforts.  In society, we teach humanbeings from the beginning of life that good behavior is expected and mistakes are tolerable to a certain degree, however; we allow them to try again. 

 It is time that we pass a bill such as this, there are many men and women who have been in the system for a long time, they have had good behavior and should be compensated for this. With the State budget the way it is, releasing men and women who have served their time with not problems, who have been a "model" inmate and given back, and who would be better off being with family and being a contributing member of our community will not only save the State money but will provide these people with a better overall life.

 Correct! or so you'd believe, if only everyone could center themselves around this age old moral.  A person showing positive progress while incarcarated should have a chance to try again.  I too have a husband locked away he's been there for 13 teen years now.  He was 20 yrs old when he recieved a min of 20 yrs in prison, for defending his self "oh" and not telling on his friends and yet no one was hurt, injured, or killed.  The Judge decided to make an example of him, but my question is when is enough, enough!  He deserves the chance to experience life outside of the walls that confine him as do many, many others in prison.  Prison is a seriously hard life, and as loved ones of those incarcarated, we end up doing time as well. I constantly try and put myself in his place, but on no level is it possible to comprehend all a person will go through and have to deal with, there simply are no limits to the punishment recieve while confined, it's physical, mental, spiritual and emotional punishment...... altered sometimes forever,  I pray that somthing happens with the bill, here is the number to support the bill (517) 373-2276 ,  if any of you reading this want to.  If Yahweh could forgive us, and allow us mutiple chances to get it right, then why can't they.  Let them come home, it makes no since to keep beating a dead horse, and Michigan is in no place right now, to ignore 107 Million annually in estimated savings for simply allowing those with good behavior to get some time off these rediculous sentences to begin with.  Call the number and let them know you want to support the bill, and how you should go about doing so.    

 I see on a few sites that Granholm endorsed a proposal for the good time bill on Tuesday (November 17, 2009).  What does this mean now?  What happens next?  Where does it go from here until we can get this signed?