MICHIGAN REPUBLICANS PROPOSE ‘SUCCESS CREDITS’ TO EMPOWER WARDENS AND REFORM PRISON SYSTEMS
- Kevin L. Tower
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
#MichiganPrisonReform #SuccessCredits #PrisonManagement #CriminalJusticeReform #TaxpayerSavings #RehabilitationOverIncarceration #MichiganLegislature #PublicSafety #PrisonRehabilitation #WardenDiscretion
THE MICHIGAN LEGISLATURE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE WARDENS MORE CONTROL OVER PRISONER BEHAVIOR BY GRANTING THEM COMPLETE DISCRETION IN GRANTING TIME OFF OF A PRISONERS SENTENCE.
Michigan Republican Representatives favor giving prison wardens greater ability to control their prisons. How this would work, is by giving Wardens complete discretion to grant time off of any prisoners sentence.
Currently, Michigan prisoners do not receive any sentencing credits to reduce their sentence. Some Michigan Republicans believe they can make prisons more manageable, safer and save taxpayers money by granting wardens the ability to give out "success credits" that would reduce a prisoners sentence. No prisoner would have any entitlement to the "success credits." If a warden so chooses, they would not have to give out any credits, or could be generous. The idea is to give the wardens complete discretion, so they can manage their own prisons. Republicans do not want this to become a "give away," but a management tool. This would allow wardens to dangle the apple before the horse, so to speak, and lead prisoners down a path of success. What do prisoners want more than anything else? Freedom! It's a powerful incentive.
Under such a plan, a warden could grant up to 90 days per year to any prisoner they so choose to. Also, the Director or Deputy Director of the MDOC, in their discretion could also grant an additional 90 days of "success credits" to any prisoner in the MDOC who demonstrates that they are a model success.
Democrats, although they have had other plans presented before the legislature that have always failed, would support this measure. Democrats have been pushing for prisoners to have their sentences essentially cut in half, by entitling prisoners to receive day for day, which Republicans object to. This plan removes the entitlement component and puts the control completely in the hands of prison administrators.
The "success credits" would not theoretically interfere with crime victims rights, but actually help protect therm, as the goal is rehabilitation. Michigan law sets maximum sentences, but gives wide discretion on minimum sentences. The Michigan Constitution does not give a right to a particular minimum sentence, as they are discretionary and within the economics of jurisprudence. This means that ethically and legally, the proper sentence is one that the justice system believes reaches the goal of rehabilitation. Secondly, if a prisoner is released early due to receiving "success credits," the fact that they receive the credits lends credence to them being deterred from future criminal behavior.
Lifers, not eligible to receive the credits, would receive a "certificate of prisoner success," that would remain in their file for future review during any parole or clemency process. This would allow lifers to receive some benefit under this program, even though there would be no change in their sentence.
This plan would help curb the shortage of corrections staff, as the plan could have retroactive effect, allowing wardens to make a one time assessment of a prisoner's history of current imprisonment. This one time assessment would allow wardens to grant up to 180 days of success credits for for the prisoners favorable history of current imprisonment.
Since Republicans control the Michigan House of Representatives and ran on a anti-crime platform, they are not interested in the Democrats plan, and may consider pushing this idea forward as it is in line with their platform. If so, Democrats would support it and the Governor would likely sign the BILL into law making Michigan prisons safer, while sparing State resources and saving taxpayers money.
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