Comments on: Prisoner ReEntry Initiative Transforming Corrections http://domemagazine.com/features/f21209 Covering Michigan's People, Politics, and Policy Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:13:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Miya Williamson http://domemagazine.com/features/f21209/comment-page-1#comment-317 Miya Williamson Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:13:39 +0000 http://domemagazine.com/?p=411#comment-317 If you would ask the Parole/Probation Officers of MDOC they would tell you that MPRI is not working. They have tied the hands of agents by not allowing them to return people to prison who violate their parole. This very fact is what gives MPRI their wonderful stats on recidivism. Along with a risk assessment program that scores parolees with murder on their record as low. Also, the services are not there, the contractors have pulled back access to bus tickets needed for parolees to get to appointments. Many of the parolees do not have housing and are going to shelters where families are staying. Most of the resources are being funneled to recently released sex offenders. The department is creating huge caseloads of 300-500 parolees for each agent by using call-in reporting, not in-person reporting further increasing the likelihood that an offender can be lost under supervision. Please take the time to sit and talk with agents on their views. In addition, talk to the judges who are sentencing violators back to prison and are receiving letters from the department asking them to change their sentencing to something other than incarceration. This whole program is just a cost shift to the counties. If you would ask the Parole/Probation Officers of MDOC they would tell you that MPRI is not working. They have tied the hands of agents by not allowing them to return people to prison who violate their parole. This very fact is what gives MPRI their wonderful stats on recidivism. Along with a risk assessment program that scores parolees with murder on their record as low. Also, the services are not there, the contractors have pulled back access to bus tickets needed for parolees to get to appointments. Many of the parolees do not have housing and are going to shelters where families are staying. Most of the resources are being funneled to recently released sex offenders. The department is creating huge caseloads of 300-500 parolees for each agent by using call-in reporting, not in-person reporting further increasing the likelihood that an offender can be lost under supervision. Please take the time to sit and talk with agents on their views. In addition, talk to the judges who are sentencing violators back to prison and are receiving letters from the department asking them to change their sentencing to something other than incarceration. This whole program is just a cost shift to the counties.

]]> By: Nick Ciaramitaro http://domemagazine.com/features/f21209/comment-page-1#comment-270 Nick Ciaramitaro Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:47:20 +0000 http://domemagazine.com/?p=411#comment-270 I have long been a fan of MPRI, Pat Caruso and her team. Pat understands that the goal is, as she has often said, to make sure that "they don't come back." Only then can we improve public safety. And she understands the critical need for substance abuse and mental health treatment. This is a great example of how the government can improve our society. Thanks, Jeff, for a fine article. I have long been a fan of MPRI, Pat Caruso and her team. Pat understands that the goal is, as she has often said, to make sure that “they don’t come back.” Only then can we improve public safety. And she understands the critical need for substance abuse and mental health treatment. This is a great example of how the government can improve our society. Thanks, Jeff, for a fine article.

]]> By: Julie Hales Smith http://domemagazine.com/features/f21209/comment-page-1#comment-248 Julie Hales Smith Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:10:01 +0000 http://domemagazine.com/?p=411#comment-248 Excellent article - nice work. Excellent article – nice work.

]]> By: Dave Wells http://domemagazine.com/features/f21209/comment-page-1#comment-223 Dave Wells Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:52:57 +0000 http://domemagazine.com/?p=411#comment-223 Jeff - good article! Hope to see you soon as we move into the evidence based sentencing initiative in Lansing. Regards, Dave Jeff – good article! Hope to see you soon as we move into the evidence based sentencing initiative in Lansing.

Regards,

Dave

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