mamajoyvkja
10-03-2007, 01:57 PM
The michigan DOC has over 2000 security cells;most located in the upper peninsula,a chronically depresed economic region.The U.P. has two comparatively new maximum level prisons along with the state's oldest prison,the maximum level Marquette Branch Prison,which is over a hundred years old.Most of the men confined in the U.P. prisons are from lower Michigan.
The Marquette Branch prison costs far more to operate than any other state prison.Also ,the newer U.P.maximum level prisons cost more to operate than the downstate maximum level prisons.
Maximum security cells are kept full ,artifically,through a manipulation the MDOC calls "departures" and "CFA HOLDS",unnecessarily,swelling the payroll and giving the false impression of over-crowding.
The mdoc has 5 security levels: II thru V are "secure facilities" with gun towers,armed perimeter patroles and high -teck security.The majority of lifers and prisoners serving long sentences are at level II.
However, if "bed space " becomes "avalible" at level V the MDOC does a "departure"; transfering men from level II to level V; or does a "CFA HOLD" keeping men already at level V whose classification ,properly,is level II.
Over 15 percent of the men at level V are actully level II prisoners used by the MDOC to keep level V prisons full.It costs taxpayers 11,000 more to house a prisoner at level V than at level II.Conservatively estimated ,this shell game costs taxpayers over 3,3,000,000,annully;2,500,000 of that in wages, saleries and employee benifits.The MDOC also uses departures in lower levels ,bumping prisoners from level I to II and III to IV.Annually ,this shell game conservatively, cost over $5,000,000, with $4,000,000 going to employees.
many level V prisoners are parole eligible. They are denied parole because the board members have policies of typically not granting parole to level V prisoners ,and because the board sets perole requirments that the prisoner must complete training or conuseling,and no such programs are offered at level V. These prisoners ,who have served enough time to warrent parole but cannot meet the programing stipulations are in a catch 22 scenario.For each of them ,Taxpayers are gouged $43,926, annully.
When Governor Granholm attempts to close U.P. prisons,pressure from U.P. residents and pork barrel politics cause the Governor to fold. The DETRIOT FREE PRESS Editorial Writer,Jeff Garritt wrote, in effect,that prisoners who for years had claimed that their sentences were being unduly prolonged so as to provide jobs,were right all along.:angry:
The Marquette Branch prison costs far more to operate than any other state prison.Also ,the newer U.P.maximum level prisons cost more to operate than the downstate maximum level prisons.
Maximum security cells are kept full ,artifically,through a manipulation the MDOC calls "departures" and "CFA HOLDS",unnecessarily,swelling the payroll and giving the false impression of over-crowding.
The mdoc has 5 security levels: II thru V are "secure facilities" with gun towers,armed perimeter patroles and high -teck security.The majority of lifers and prisoners serving long sentences are at level II.
However, if "bed space " becomes "avalible" at level V the MDOC does a "departure"; transfering men from level II to level V; or does a "CFA HOLD" keeping men already at level V whose classification ,properly,is level II.
Over 15 percent of the men at level V are actully level II prisoners used by the MDOC to keep level V prisons full.It costs taxpayers 11,000 more to house a prisoner at level V than at level II.Conservatively estimated ,this shell game costs taxpayers over 3,3,000,000,annully;2,500,000 of that in wages, saleries and employee benifits.The MDOC also uses departures in lower levels ,bumping prisoners from level I to II and III to IV.Annually ,this shell game conservatively, cost over $5,000,000, with $4,000,000 going to employees.
many level V prisoners are parole eligible. They are denied parole because the board members have policies of typically not granting parole to level V prisoners ,and because the board sets perole requirments that the prisoner must complete training or conuseling,and no such programs are offered at level V. These prisoners ,who have served enough time to warrent parole but cannot meet the programing stipulations are in a catch 22 scenario.For each of them ,Taxpayers are gouged $43,926, annully.
When Governor Granholm attempts to close U.P. prisons,pressure from U.P. residents and pork barrel politics cause the Governor to fold. The DETRIOT FREE PRESS Editorial Writer,Jeff Garritt wrote, in effect,that prisoners who for years had claimed that their sentences were being unduly prolonged so as to provide jobs,were right all along.:angry: