Well I finally got a response (beyond the automated thank you for writing to us response) from 1 of the 6 emails I sent after the first reading of these new bills to replace to the previous 4497, 4498, 4499 - asking for information: HB 6328-6330 if passed would mean that people going forward from Oct 2010 would receive a single fixed sentence say 7 year for instance rather than min. 2 to max 10 years. 6329 and 6330 do not contradict each other. 6329 states prisoners will no longer be subject to the Parole Board because once the fixed sentence is served they will be released without any Parole Board review. 6330 lays out the foundation of how Good Time served credits are earned. I don't believe anyone currently incarcerated is serving a determinate sentence but rather have an earliest release date and a maximum sentence. I will have to check with the bill writer, who is out today, to determine if determinant sentences will be applied retroactively and if so how the new sentence will be determined. I will get back with you tomorrow.
Daniel Burke Legislative Aide State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith
I did write back thanking him for his response, asked a couple more questions. So when I hear anything more I'll pass it on !!
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Well I did get another email and it's not what we were all hoping for:
Hello Joyce, HB 6328, 6329 and 6330 will be for sentences going forward and will not be retroactive. Therefore people currently in prison will not have their sentence adjusted to be a determinant sentence. The bills were referred to committee July 21 and I am not yet sure when they will be taken up. I haven't heard much talk about these bills in particular. However, I do believe that there is a general consensus that the original good time bills will not be passed in the Senate. Daniel
So of course I had to write back again, asking him to pass these questions on to Representative Smith - one of the people who introduced the bills:
1. Then these bills if passed, will do nothing to alleviate the over burdened cost in our prison system ?
2. Then these bills if passed, will not reward those presently incarcerated for following the rules and trying to better themselves ?
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Well I did get another email and it's not what we were all hoping for:
Hello Joyce, HB 6328, 6329 and 6330 will be for sentences going forward and will not be retroactive. Therefore people currently in prison will not have their sentence adjusted to be a determinant sentence. The bills were referred to committee July 21 and I am not yet sure when they will be taken up. I haven't heard much talk about these bills in particular. However, I do believe that there is a general consensus that the original good time bills will not be passed in the Senate. Daniel
So of course I had to write back again, asking him to pass these questions on to Representative Smith - one of the people who introduced the bills:
1. Then these bills if passed, will do nothing to alleviate the over burdened cost in our prison system ?
2. Then these bills if passed, will not reward those presently incarcerated for following the rules and trying to better themselves ?
This is rediculous! I don't get it. I thought they're trying to find a way to lessen the prison cost? This is commom sense, all they have to do is pass the original good time bill!
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1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Last edited by pinay19; 08-10-2010 at 03:06 PM..
Reason: spelling
I don't see how this will help with the overcrowded that is happening now.
fwhite,
If these bills pass I believe they will continue to parole guys as fast as they can to finally get to the point where they no longer need to finance a parole system.
15 yrs ago the state stopped adding new employees to the pension system. The new hires started receiving 4O1k's instead. Since then they have offered several "early out" and "retirement incentive" programs to get to the end of the old system.
I believe they would do the same with inmates sentenced under Truth in Sentencing after its repeal. Just an educated guess.
This is rediculous! I don't get it. I thought they're trying to find a way to lessen the prison cost? This is commom sense, all they have to do is pass the original good time bill!
Anything they pass that repeals Truth in Sentencing is a good thing. They can't move forward until they do so.
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If these bills pass I believe they will continue to parole guys as fast as they can to finally get to the point where they no longer need to finance a parole system.
15 yrs ago the state stopped adding new employees to the pension system. The new hires started receiving 4O1k's instead. Since then they have offered several "early out" and "retirement incentive" programs to get to the end of the old system.
I believe they would do the same with inmates sentenced under Truth in Sentencing after its repeal. Just an educated guess.
RA
RA,
This would make sense if this is what is going to happen. But with the budget I don't see how it can't happen, I can understand not doing a large mass release but, making people stay in longer for things out of their control makes no sense. Something has to give.
This would make sense if this is what is going to happen. But with the budget I don't see how it can't happen, I can understand not doing a large mass release but, making people stay in longer for things out of their control makes no sense. Something has to give.
This is good information. The bills have been read one of the three required times and referred to the Judiciary committee. They did not meet today, so we'll see how well these go compared to the other three. And whose to say some of your mention concerns very well may come up and be suggested as amendments. But I agree let's get Truth in Sentencing repeal and move forward. I believe in miracles!!!!
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Last edited by pridenjoinlyfe; 08-10-2010 at 05:21 PM..
Did get another answer today from Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith who introduced these bills along with Rep Durhal & Meadows..............
Joyce,
If these bills are passed we would not see immediate cost savings. However, in the future they will result in savings within the Department of Corrections. With the regime change in the Governor's office coming and Rep. Smith being term limited it is uncertain what will happed in the future with corrections. It is the hope that we get these bills passed for a positive change going forward.
It is the hope that the good behavior will be noticed by the parole board when considering inmates for parole. Which is another issue as the parole board does not always release people after serving 100% of their minimum sentence. This is another area we need to look at in reducing the cost of our prison systems. Rep. Smith worked to have the phone surcharges reduced so it would be more affordable for inmates to stay connected with their families and hopefully reduce the risk of recidivism. With the end result of lowering the overall cost of the Department of Corrections.
Daniel Burke Legislative Aide State Representative Alma Wheeler Smith
I just saw on the news that there is going to be more cuts to the departmnt of corrections, they already like 40 million over their budget so how is that going to work, when they are not letting people out and the new bills if they pass will not take effect right away. It seems like to me that people are not thinking this through.
if HB 6328-6330 is passed where is the savings or the hopes that someone changes. A determinant sentence of like Joyce6850 used as an example 7 yrs flat instead of a possible 2-10 would not save money when now with good behavior and the parole board having a "good day" would mean he/she is out in 2. This would mean state inncurs 5 years extra of housing inmate where ERD plus 1-2 years having a parole officer is cheaper. Yep michigan is still not thinking Good time would make more sense !!!
if HB 6328-6330 is passed where is the savings or the hopes that someone changes. A determinant sentence of like Joyce6850 used as an example 7 yrs flat instead of a possible 2-10 would not save money when now with good behavior and the parole board having a "good day" would mean he/she is out in 2. This would mean state inncurs 5 years extra of housing inmate where ERD plus 1-2 years having a parole officer is cheaper. Yep michigan is still not thinking Good time would make more sense !!!
We have thousands of inmates who are past their ERD. The possibility of parole hasn't worked out for them. As profiled on http://www.capps-mi.org/ even guys with good behavior and high scores on their parole eligibility reports have been routinely denied parole. Some changes need to be made, getting rid of the parole board seems like a good place to start. A return of good time credits would be another good place to start.
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I just saw on the news that there is going to be more cuts to the departmnt of corrections, they already like 40 million over their budget so how is that going to work, when they are not letting people out and the new bills if they pass will not take effect right away. It seems like to me that people are not thinking this through.
They're talking about closing at least one more prison.
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That is still is not going to be enough. My husband sent home his paperwork from the parole board his score has not changed since the last time. He has been taking any group that he can, and the cmt class which he just signed up for the advanced class, and he starts a porter job as well. So he has groups, class, and a job. He is doing everything that he can and the sad part is it still might not be enough. What more can people do?
That is still is not going to be enough. My husband sent home his paperwork from the parole board his score has not changed since the last time. He has been taking any group that he can, and the cmt class which he just signed up for the advanced class, and he starts a porter job as well. So he has groups, class, and a job. He is doing everything that he can and the sad part is it still might not be enough. What more can people do?
Keep working the politicians to reduce DOC's budget.
Got my weekly email from: Standing Committee Meeting
Judiciary, Rep. Mark Meadows, Chair
Date: 08/25/2010 Time: 9:00 AM
and these bills are not on the agenda again or yet
You can certainly write / email and ask. Wonder if you'll get an answer back ? Very rarely when I write to these people, the judiciary comm, etc do I get a real response, only the automated response of thank you for writing,etc. I am going to write back to the legal aid to Rep. Smith who intro the bill on July 21 and see if I can get anything out of them regarding when those bills will be heard. He has answered me back when I write to him.
could you please give me his email again? I feel they owe us some explaination as to why they do nothing for us . They don't have to worry about what and when they eat and what they eat.