The New York Times reports that dozens of individuals in prison have died who were approved for parole or not convicted. The deaths raise troubling questions about the way the country’s justice system responded to a pandemic that infected incarcerated people at more than three times the national rate. Defense attorneys, judges and some prosecutors have [...]
Experts say the global pandemic has made the transition from prison to outside life challenging for former prisoners. Low-wage jobs became scarce as industries shut down last year and services moved to online applications and delivery. Read more: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/covid-raged-michigan-prisons-life-outside-isnt-easy-either-parolees
ClickOnDetroit reports on Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Corrections efforts to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan's prison facilities. Governor Whitmer said, "This is a concern that we share as an administration, and I know that families across the state are worried about the safety of their loved ones who [...]
In an article posted September 25th, michiganradio.org notes the terror and anxiety among prisoners caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. John J. Lennon was a prisoner at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. John said that social distancing was impossible. He shared how making calls on prison phones meant being "chest to shoulders" with [...]
WXYZ Detroit reported on September 29th, 2020 that COVID-19 is highlighting disparities in the US criminal justice system. The article uses Quentin Burt's story to show how Federal mandatory minimum sentencing has impacted the US - in the 1970's, the federal prison population was about 300,000. Now, it's nearly two-and-a-half million. COVID-19 is revealing [...]
The Detroit Free Press published an article on September 7th detailing some of the many challenges re-entry poses for former prisoners. Getting a State ID or driver's license can be particularly difficult due to public health safety restrictions caused by the pandemic. [Daniel Robinson from Worthy and Able] estimates that 75 to 80 out [...]
In an article posted July 31st, 2020, Human Rights Watch highlights how parole and probation have unfortunately feed mass incarceration, not reduced it. The article uses a report published by Human Rights Watch and the ACLU which explores this dynamic and its disproportionate impact on people of color. “Probation and parole are seen as acts [...]
The Detroit Free Press reported on June 9 that Michigan's prison population dropped 5.2% over three months during the pandemic. Department officials say this is probably the fastest drop in state history. The prison population was just under 36,000, Michigan Department of Corrections legislative liaison Kyle Kaminski told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Corrections. That [...]
The Prison Policy Initiative published a brief on May 21, 2020 that explores how parole "program requirements", often delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic, keep prisoners locked up who could safely be released. As the briefing notes: These are the people who have already been granted parole by the state parole boards, but have not yet [...]
