Gov. Granholm’s prison strategy raising controversy

[Joanne98]

Gov. Granholm’s prison strategy raising controversy
By HANNAH NORTHEY, Capital News Service

LANSING — Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s proposal to help balance the state budget by releasing prisoners early is sparking controversy among Oakland County lawmakers.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, called the plan fiscally irresponsible and warned that it would allow dangerous criminals to go free.

“To kick out a bunch of prisoners to save room isn’t the answer,” Bishop said. “We’re solving one problem only to create another.”

Granholm called for the early release of elderly nonviolent inmates, medically unfit inmates and those likely to be deported in an effort to make up $120 million of the state’s $800 million deficit.

An estimated 5,000 inmates would be released if current incarceration guidelines were changed, and 1,600 elderly, nonviolent and medically unfit inmates would be eligible for early release.

Russ Marlan of the Michigan Department of Corrections said that 3,400 inmates currently in prison would not be there if the guidelines had been in place when they were convicted.

For example, prisoners convicted of larceny, low-level drug charges, writing bad checks, embezzlement or malicious destruction of property would not be serving prison sentences, he said. Instead, they would be given “community-based sanctions,” such as having to wear a tether or giving time to community service.

Since the current guidelines were established in 1998, the prison population has ballooned, he said.
http://www.cadillacnews.com/articles/2007/02/23/news/news06.txt

RELEASE THE NON-VIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS!

[gratuitous]

1. Fiscally irresponsible, Sen. Bishop?

Then may I suggest you and your Michigan legislature cohorts pass a state budget for the governor to sign that includes plenty of money for all the citizens you want to lock up? That would probably mean {insert heavy, ominous organ chord here} higher taxes.

Ready to put some legislation where your mouth is, Sen. Bishop? Ready to explain to the public that they will have to pay higher taxes so that some 73-year-old perp doesn't get turned loose to terrorize society?

[Ignacio Upton]

2. I agreed with what she's proposing

But this will not go well for her politically. Still, I'm glad that she's Governor instead of DeVos.

[Joanne98]

3. There's comes a time when you have to forget about yourself..

And do the right thing. I hope she has the courage.

[BayCityProgressive]

4. She's really been

a mixed bag. She is also proposing TONS of reactionary taxes and fees on the poor and middle class AND cutting more social programs. I voted for her, but I hope we can get someone better in the next election.

[Joanne98]

5. You know. I watched her SOTS speech, and I kinda noticed that..

I wonderd if she was trustworthy. Give her the benefit of the doubt but stay on her ass. Too many Dems sell us out.

[1932]

What are some of the taxes and fees?

[1932]

8. What are some of the taxes and fees?

[armodem08]

6. WTF??

"Instead, they would be given “community-based sanctions,” such as having to wear a tether or giving time to community service."

They have people wearing tethers? Is this just a nickname for a GPS device, or what?

Edit: spelling

[roamer65]

7. Imagine if Dick DeVos had won.

Jennifer is not perfect, but she's light years better than DeVos. What Michigan needs is a ballot proposal in 2008 to enact a graduated income tax. I talked with my state rep about this and she was all for it, but said we'd have to change the constitution to do it. Ontario has one and it seems to work for them.

We also need to legalize marijuana and tax it. Going to jail for minor drug convictions is just stupid and inefficient.