I recieved my latest MI-CURE News today and it had some news I wanted to pass along.

There will be no change in truth in sentencing laws. The legislature rejected it in this case. That drops the # of prisoners eligible for early release from 1400 to 700. They are talking about putting drug/alcohol offenders into treatment possibly instead of prison (but be aware that on the news last night I heard we are dropping our blood alcohol rate to .08? or we lose Federal funding--which means more convictions). Prisoner co-pay on medical went up to $5 per visit from $3 per visit. They will begin using generic meds to save $. They will put more time and $ into apprehending violent fugitives and probation and parole absconders, but work with local authorities to develop local sanctions for technical parole violators.

2 Hep-C cases were filed against MDOC with Michigan Federal Court. ( In reading this I was totally upset at what MDOC is doing with inmates...both cases are long or I'd type them in).

Representative Ken Daniels will again sponsor a bill regarding the phones, BUT he still needs a co-sponsor and we are being asked to contact our state representative to ask them to PLEASE co-sponsor Ken Daniel's bill. I posted, at length, about this before they ended their last session....


So, not really great news at all and I thought we were full or approaching full??? The news about the phones is a move in the positive direction if we can get a co-sponsor...

Deb

I can't understand this state, the prisons will be overflowing if they aren't already, and talk of bringing prisoners from out of state to. And now Hep C and it costing our honeys more money for meds, it's all gone crazy

Thanks Deb...I was too beat last night when I came home and didn't even read the newsletter until just before I came on line!!!

WHen hubby and I talked yesterday, he said that there has been over 1000 prisoners released since the new gov. came in. She's been hot on the parole boards tail to release a lot of guys who are past their first out date and there's no good reason why their parole was denied. HE also said that 1000 isn't even a dent in those who are past their first out date!

mrs. d

Robert told me that they are paroling so many guys out of where he is, that they had to push some guys back a week or two. Apparently they can't let too many out on the same day?
I like that they are paroling, but I still don't understand some of their thinking.
Get this...
Robert is required by the DOC to take the violent offenders class because his original offense was violent. I believe that he should have had to take this class when he was incarcerated for this charge, but he didn't. They are now requiring him to take it.
But, the thing is, a guy who is being paroled next week, (he came in after Robert and is obviously getting out before him) is back in on a probation violation. He got arrested for beating up his girlfriend. He is being paroled next week, and he was never required to take the violent offenders course. Beating up your girlfriend isn't considered violent anymore? Who would you be more worried about. A guy who takes drugs and is hurting himself? Or a guy who beats up on women?
I believe that Robert should take the violent offenders class, but I definitely believe that this guy should of had to too! How backwards is that?