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?

 I've been reading on about the "Good Time Bill" for some time now....and how its be going for some time to be passed...and its now "November 2009"...where it has gone to the House Committee...I really would like this bill to passed...for it gives a person whom is incarcerated a second chance in life...for its disappointing as it may sound that a person that done well within the prison system and has the determination to want to succeed further in life educational and employment wise to really wanna have that opportunity to have that shown so much differents in themselves and to others that "Change" can really happen to a person..whom once was lost and now has found themselves in a new frame of mind and the world that exist within them.

State Representative George Cushingberry is in support of House Bills 4497-4499 and is chairman for the Judiciary Committee where these bills sit. Contact Rep Cushingberrry, and let him know you support these bills and to escalade his attempts at geting them passed.email address: georgecushingberry@house.mi.gov
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909-7514                                                                                                                                                                                              Phone: (517) 373-2276
Fax: (517) 373-7186                                                                                                                                                                                                Toll-Free (888) 347-8008

He held meetings in Detroit in June 2009 and Oct in Lasing, Michigan open forum to the public.  Here are some comments from Rep  Cushingberry:                                                                                                                                                                                                     "As important as prisons are to ensure a safe society, the cost of operating Michigan's correctional facilities is almost beyond sustainability," said Cushingberry. "The correction system is meant to be a place of rehabilitation, but it has turned into a very expensive holding pen             "We are not just locking up animals, these people are our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers," Cushingberry said. "Everyone has made mistakes in their life, and prisoners are paying for those mistakes. It is our hope that good behavior on the inside translates to good behavior on the outside. In order to make Michigan a safer state, we need to focus on not only rehabilitating our prisoners, but ensuring that they aren't coming back to prison after finishing their sentence. "

 I read the comments made by the House Representative "We are not just locking up animals, these people are our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers,"   I agree with him. These men and women are not animals.  Many people treat their dogs better than people.  We reward animals using positive reinforcement to train them, encourage and promote good behavior in animals but we do not want to give our men and women who are  incarcerated an opportunity to better themselves. 

Rehabilitation should be the goal for retention.  Correction programs should target individual needs of prisoners.  Our goal should be to decrease the number of inmates in Michigan. Proper evaluations of inmates are critical.  Every Michigan citizen should be concern about reducing the Michigan department of correction budget because it one way or another affects us all.  Bringing “Good Time” credit back will encourage good behavior, true rehabilitation of prisoners and reduce our correctional budget.

Have to agree with you on the minn. requirement to be served.  Isn't this enough of a incentive to create good behaviour?

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Lena Pereida.... I am a law abiding citizen that pays Taxes and a vivid hard working citizen... And have been since i was a very young adult! I am 48 yrs old and still struggle with everyday challenges that seem to arise all the time! I am a single parent since my fiance has been incarerated..

I am writing in regards to Bill 4497. I am all for the Good time Bill! My fiance has been incarcerated since Aug. 2006. He has not once had any kind of disciplinary action against him! He has completed plenty of classes offered through the State of Michigan... And has passed everyone with 100%... I feel that he has paid his debt to society! He has never been in any trouble previous to him being incarcerated in 2006. He is a very good person with a heart of GOLD! I know that he has learned a very valuble lesson while being incarcerated. He did make a mistake and has learned from this.  

I would like to talk about why i believe that this bill should be passed:

I know that our other governing states have passed the Good Time Bill... and have been sucessful! The state of Michigan has only let out prisoners that have passed thier minimum sentence and been flopped plenty of times before that. Please take in consideration the Money that the State of Michigan can save if this Bill is passed. What would be more appropriate than to pass this bill and save millions of dollars... To me it's a huge start to help the economy out! I am asking that this bill be passed. Please take my thoughts inconsideration. If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me... And i will respond back immediately!

Thanks in Advance! 

Lena D. Pereida 

 Lena,

I could not agree with you more! I live in Florida and I was shocked to learn that Michigan did not have a good time law when my now fiancee got incarcerated. He was incarcerated in 2003 when he was just barely 20 years old, with no previous record and is sentenced to 2015 MINIMUM. I was shocked by that sentence at first and more shocked when I learned Michigan does not have good time. I knew this man when we were in middle school and high school. He made a mistake, there is no taking away from that, and I think he has rightfully served his time. He has not recieved any behavioral tickets. He attends classes regularily to prove he is a changed man. He was practically a child when he was charged, although he did not commit a crime like a child, so I respect his sentencing. I just think it is a bit harsh. Being a Florida resident, if you compare prison time here and prison time there, its MUCH different. Not only do we have good time, but we have people being released who did NOT get a proper sentence and DID not finish their time.

Another thing I'd like to touch on is the economy in Michigan. Most of my family lives in Michigan and I would love to move there, but the economy in Michigan is so bad that I could not take the risk of leavingmy job and uprooting my life for a MAYBE. My own brother who has lived in Michigan his ENTIRE life is moving beause he can no longer depend on the downward spiraling Michigan economy. This good time law would drastically improve and help that economy! I think each prisoner should be evaluated for good time, depending on their activities whil in prison and their previous record. After all, if they keep offending I agree with an earlier blogger that they don;t deserve the early release.

 Is there any truth to a phone call to 1-888-347-8008  extensions 4497,4498,4499 to vote for good time being restored on February 10 & 11, 2010? Where can I find out if this is a scam?

 I just contacted the phone number and talked directly to Representative George Cushingberry Jr office. The bills are sponsered by him and letting your own representative along with his office lets them know the public is interested in following he bills and encourage the judiciay committee to bring the bills to the docket for vote on passing the ills.  Show your support and call your legislators along with George Cushingberry Jr  (and Rep. Mark Meadow, who is responsible to bring it to the docket) with encouragement.  He believes the dates Feb 10, & 11 are to show support on these bills 4497,4498,4499  The call cannot pass these bills but give support to get them to the legislature with support of the citizens who take the effort to call toll free your representatives....Get invoved and call your State Representatives on Feb 10 & 11, 2010 putting the house bill numbers for the extension.

Alright I get the idea of good time, but I would have to agree that it should be given at the completion of the inmates minumum sentance. I am the mother of a victim, and I am the ex wife of a perp and a step mother of the perp against my daughter, I have seen it all, I have had my ex tell me it was all a conspiricy, I watched in pain as my daughter delt with the pain she is coping with, and the statistics speak volumes, as to how many inmates go out on GOOOD behavior, and under the cap of rehabilitation, and re commit or move on to larger and more diverse things. My daughters perp is one of those fine young men who did all the things they were supposed to do in prison, took classes went to groups, but my friends I can tell you, when he hits the streets, in the spring as the parole board said is likely, watch out, this is a preditor on the make, he was with me and my children all of three weeks, that is from meeting for the first time till arrest, and he raped my daughter several times, so yeah good luck to the goverment he is really going to save the government money when he is released, he will be back there sooner or later, mark my words, and when he dose go back someone is going to wish this law did not get passed.

I am in favor of bills 4497,4498,4499.  I believe that people deserve another chance in life, especially after they show a change in how they want to live their lives.  We all have made mistakes in life,due to bad judgement and hanging with the wrong type of friends.  But prison can either change you for the better,or for the worse.  It depends on the person and their heart and mind set.  Most times being away from family wakes you up in a hurry, because then you have nothing but time to think and reflect on the choices that you have made and the people that have been hurt and affected by your decisions.  Please bring back good time and yes some prisoners will fail and end up back there, but I feel that most of them will do everything within their power to never go back their again, because contrary to what the public make think about prison, it is not a country club nor a spa to vacation at.  People are cruel and treatment is worse. I am the mother of a daughter who is in prison and her sentence did not fit the crime.  If we look at our criminal justice system blacks are sentenced harsher and longer than whites for the same crime, and this is coming from a person who worked at the courts for thirty years.  So please bring good time back and help reduce the budget strain on the state and the families that help support the immates.  

I oppose HB 4497 (Revise prison time off for good behavior)

The fulfillment of a minimum prison sentence is critical in demonstrating the perseverance of Michigan's courts and law enforcement officers in upholding the law, and providing a just punishment for the law's offenders.

Michigan's laws are in place to protect its citizens. If Michigan can not demonstrate integrity and steadfastness in the punishment of law breakers, there is little reason for citizens to abide by the law. We must be unmoving in our decisions.

A minimum sentence only became that when TIS was adopted in Michigan in 1999.
John Engler did this, and only this to benefit himself with his prison building program.
Build more prisons so he could line his pockets.
The state of Michigan receives millions of dollars per year from the Federal Government, you and I, to have Truth in Sentencing.
However, where this has gone awry is that inmates are kept LONG after they serve their minimum sentence because the parole
board doesn't feel all comfy cozy with paroling someone.
It seems that all it takes are a few parolees who screw up to make it difficult for any other inmate who is attempting to change their life for the better and atone for their mistakes.
Laws are in place, not to protect citizens, but to make people behave a certain way.  Laws don't protect you, the enforcement of the law does when someone doesn't behave the way they are required to by law.
What is really needed here is integrity and steadfastness in running the prison system to correct behavior.  No correction in behavior will most asuredly result in the same behavior again and again.
Why don't you petition the legislature to change the name of the prison system from Michigan Department of Corrections to Michigan Department of Prisons and Punishment.
Life cannot be "unmoving", as it is ever changing as knowledge is attained.  If you are "unmoving" in anything, then you are frozen in time.  When I hear statements like yours, it reinforces my thoughts that the majority of people in this state are hateful, mistrusting, and don't want anyone else to intrude on their little peninsula.

 I also am in support of bill 44974498,and 4499. I believe that anyone that is against this doesnt have any experience with the michigan department of corrections. I believe that Michigan is one of the few states where the time doesnt fit the crime. If some one commits a crime here, and commits the same crime in many other states, you do almost double the time in the state of Michigan. NOT EVERY ONE, locked up should be there, or should be there for the length of time Michigan gives them. My husband took a stupid attack, he was a master mechanic, we owned our own business. One night on the way home from work, he was being pulled over, he was driving on a suspended licenses due to Michigan Driver Responsibility Fees, ( in 2008 you had to pay the full amount ) Now you can sit up payment arraingments, if this arraignment was available back in 2008 he wouldnt be in prison right now. But he flipped out, and freaked out, because he knew getting a driving on suspended was going to hurt his career. In a SPLIT second, he decided to try and out run them, ( mistake on his part ) but that split second decison of trying to not lose our business, and his ability to test drive cars, cost us 3 years of our lives. He has a year left. IS there any one that thinks, this crime deserved 3 years? We lost our business, I am disabled, and cant work, 2 of my land lords have now lost the house I am living in to foreclosure. If it wasnt for my kids helping out, I wouldnt be able to make it. If he had gotten a sentence from another state he would be home by now. Give back good time, do away with TIS, and cut the budget. Its all a win win situation.

I am in support of these bills.  It is time for the State of Michigan to get their priorities together and to spend more on education than on corrections. It is a sad day when the education budget is continually cut so that we can incarcerate more and more people for longer and longer periods of time.  A larger portion of our population is incarcerated than is true in any other 1st world country.  Something is not working with our system.  

Passage of these bills would:

1) Save the state millions of dollars each year.  This is not a small consideration as our budget is in a sad state of affairs and something must be cut if we continue to spend this much on corrections each year.

2) Encourage rehabilitation as there would be rewards for good behavior and loss of these rewards for unacceptable behavior.  It has been proven that good behavior over a period of time becomes a habit.  Good time would encourage the building of responsible behavior over time.

3) Provide for a safer environment within the corrections system for both employees and prisoners as corrections staff would have some control over behavior through the awarding or not awarding of good time.

Further delay on acting on these bills is costing additional money. It is possible to vote for these bills and still be tough on crime.  There has been no evidence that the awarding of good time in any way encourages recidivism.  In fact, common sense would argue otherwise.

I don't think that anyone out there knows what they are talking about, when they want to release imates early.  I work in the prison system.  People don't understand unless you have had a crime commented against you or someone you love.  What about the sex crimes?  Which one of you in the House or Senate will vote to release these imates early, because they are behaving in prison?  What about the victims and thier families?  What happened if one of these crimes were commented on your child or grandmother you know?  Are you going to be the one to pick and choose which one will be released?   You can start by cutting the House and Senate retirement.  I would love to get a pension from the State, for only working four years.  What about the benefits they get after four years?  I don't get benefits or get a pension from the State when I retire.......

 Are you going to be the one that picks and chooses who is released? If you actually read through the bill, you would see that there are many stipulations that must be met before any inmate is relased! Each one of these inmates will have to have their prison records reviewed by a panel. If they have had no tickets during their incarceration, then they can go before another review board. Do you really think the state is going to open the doors and just let everyone out? Besides, if the state does not get some form of relief on the budget you may not have a job anyway, because they won't be able to pay you. They have already laid off state troopers, and other state employees, what makes you think that prison guards won't be next?

 I know what you r saying and you have a good argument, but i have a friend who is in the prison system who did not do the crime they say he did and is about to loose 13 years of his life for nothing. The only chance he and many others who have been wrongfully convicted have, of getting back home to there families. If they want to let people out, first ones to go should be the ones where there was not sufficent effidence to convict them. There have been many men in prison and they were innocent so we do know that this happens i have watch on the news several times when they released innocent men. So i say if they want to release some just go through the files one by one and do there own investigations. It might cost them a little money but i think that either way they will pay. i think it would be in there best intrust to go throught the files and see what type of person  they are letting out.

 Does anyone know any new information on this Bill?

There is no new information about this bill.

Everyone needs to contact their representative and tell them to get off their duffs and bring this bill to the floor for a vote.
This is just a house bill and if passed, it would have to go before the senate to get passed. 
The roadblock there is Alan Cropsey(R).  I hear he is term limited (thank the lord).  He has been the main roadblock to prison reform.

There is an upcoming committee meeting about the corrections budget, here are the details:

 Dear MichiganVotes Users:

Although it's been removed apparently someone posted the number of the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency as a contact for this bill. Please do not call HFA.

Your maximum clout with in Lansing is with your own state Representative and Senator, and that is primarily who you should contact about this or any other bill. If you are looking for information about a sheduled hearing on a bill it may be appropriate to call the clerk of the committee. For these bills that would be the House Judiciary Committee. The number is 517.373.7256, but I'll save you a call: No hearings are currently scheduled. You can track hearing shedules, and subscribe for email notifications of hearings before a particular committee, here: http://house.michigan.gov/committees.asp 

Here is what is happening on this bill: There is a political "tug of war" between the Senate majority, whose members are concerned about public safety issues, and the Granholm administration, which is looking at this bill (or another that does the same thing) as a means of reducing spending in the Corrections Department. The "action" on this bill is not happening in committee rooms but in political "jockeying" that takes place out of the public eye. Push-may-come-to-shove when it comes time to finalize the Corrections budget, which will be in June at the earliest.

To repeat, your influence is with our own representative and Senator. Calling other legislators, or committee Chairs, or committee clerks (who are not political) will not advance your goals. That may not be what you want to hear, but it's the reality in Lansing.

Best wishes,

MichiganVotes Editor