Michigan prison sentencing reform ballot initiative moves forward
DELTA TOWNSHIP, MI – The next cycle of Michigan ballot initiatives officially kicked off Friday as the state elections board advanced a petition that would reduce sentences for prisoners showing good behavior.
The bipartisan Board of State Canvassers approved, 4-0, a 76-word summary that non-profit social welfare organization Michigan Justice Advocacy can put on its signature sheets. The group now only needs to submit its final petition layout to the Bureau of Elections to start collecting signatures.
The organization’s proposed law would knock off 30 days from prisoners’ sentences for every month they don’t commit “Class I Misconduct.” Think things like assaulting another prisoner, getting caught with dangerous contraband or inciting a riot.
A majority of prisoners – both into the future and retroactively – would be eligible for so-called “good time” credit, which Michigan Justice Advocacy says on its website would incentivize prisoners who understand their mistakes and are dedicated to rehabilitation.
https://www.mlive.com/public-interest/2023/03/michigan-prison-sentencing-reform-ballot-initiative-moves-forward.html
