House panel OKs criminal justice overhaul

Lansing — A 21-bill package aimed at reducing the number of ex-convicts returning to prisons and the state’s $2 billion annual prison budget gained momentum Wednesday as it cleared a House panel.

The House Competitiveness Committee approved every bill in the package, which now goes to the full House for consideration after the Senate passed the measure in February. The main sponsor, Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, said the legislation is meant to decrease crime and recidivism, which could result in a long-term cut in criminal justice spending.

Last year, the Senate approved a similar package, but the House never held a vote on it because the lower chamber had its own competing criminal justice overhaul. Proos said approval of most bills by three House committee Democrats Wednesday signals the potential “for a very strong bipartisan vote in the House of Representatives.”

A centerpiece of the package is defining recidivism “for the first time in Michigan’s history” as the re-arrest, re-conviction or re-incarceration of someone who commits a crime or violates their probation or parole, he said.

“Michigan will be held out as a national leader in this arena, recognizing that there are better ways to do business when it comes to the criminal justice system,” Proos said.

The package also would impose penalties, including up to 30 days in jail, for parole violators and stop parole absconders from getting cash or food welfare assistance from Michigan. It would reduce punishments for technical probation violations and potentially allow some probationers to cut their state supervision period.

Another bill would require the Michigan Department of Corrections to hold prisoners 18 to 22 years old in cells apart from older adults. The legislation has been amended to address concerns from prison officials, Proos said.

Another bill offers incentives for companies that hire people on probation or parole, who often face tremendous difficulty finding employment after prison. The employment barrier results in ex-convicts returning to prison for new offenses.

Last year, the House passed a bill that would have allowed some well-behaved prisoners to get out of their prison sentence early if they have served the minimum sentence. Gov. Rick Snyder supported the plan but was opposed by Attorney General Bill Schuette, also a Republican; it is not part of the legislative package this year.

The changes don’t mean the package is watered down, said Jenna Moll, deputy director of the U.S. Justice Action Network, a bipartisan group lobbying for criminal justice reforms. Moll said the “presumptive parole” issue was never part of the package because it was a stand-alone House bill.

“There now stands just one more hurdle between the state of Michigan and targeted reforms to their justice system that will reduce recidivism and protect public safety,” said Holly Harris, executive director of the U.S. Justice Action Network.

“These are smart, data-driven bills that will vastly improve probation, parole and reintegration programs in Michigan,” Harris said.

mgerstein@detroitnews.com

517-371-3661

Twitter: @MikeGerstein