Read on Twitter
2020 was a big year to report on criminal justice reform in Michigan. We saw a lot of changes affecting formerly incarcerated people & others involved with the justice system.
Here's a thread on some of the most noteworthy stuff (it's kinda long... sorry!) /1
Here's a thread on some of the most noteworthy stuff (it's kinda long... sorry!) /1
No. 1: Expungement! Gov. Whitmer signed into law a package of bills expanding eligibility and creating automatic expungement for certain offenses.
We follow PA, Utah & CA on auto expungement, but MI is the first with a law to automatically clear some prior low-level felonies. /2
We follow PA, Utah & CA on auto expungement, but MI is the first with a law to automatically clear some prior low-level felonies. /2
I heard from many who say new expungement laws give them hope.
Ex: A man with 3 convictions from 30 yrs ago (most serious is a felony for having gun on his seat during a traffic stop). He's 64, wants to start a security biz to leave $ for his kids. Felony held him back... /3
Ex: A man with 3 convictions from 30 yrs ago (most serious is a felony for having gun on his seat during a traffic stop). He's 64, wants to start a security biz to leave $ for his kids. Felony held him back... /3
...with his felony expunged, this man could get a license to start a private security biz. “I could see things a little bit brighter for real."
He said he never understood why convictions he paid his debt for decades earlier continued to keep him down. /4 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/12/michigan-expungement-bills-law-governor-whitmer/3532215001/
He said he never understood why convictions he paid his debt for decades earlier continued to keep him down. /4 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/12/michigan-expungement-bills-law-governor-whitmer/3532215001/
Then we saw lawmakers pass more changes to expungement. These bills would:
Allow for expungement of first-time DUI offenses (not involving injury)
Create automatic expungement for certain juvenile offenses
Seal juvenile court records from the public /5 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/16/michigan-dui-expungement-record-clearing/3920011001/
Allow for expungement of first-time DUI offenses (not involving injury)
Create automatic expungement for certain juvenile offenses
Seal juvenile court records from the public /5 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/16/michigan-dui-expungement-record-clearing/3920011001/
Another change: Access to food stamps. MI repealed its ban on SNAP for people with 2 or more felony drug convictions.
Orgs and advocates fought to end the ban via a change in the state budget. Lawmakers passed a bill to cement the change into law. /6 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/09/25/michigan-food-stamps-drug-convictions/5863621002/
Orgs and advocates fought to end the ban via a change in the state budget. Lawmakers passed a bill to cement the change into law. /6 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/09/25/michigan-food-stamps-drug-convictions/5863621002/
I'll wrap up with changes related to jails.
We started the year with the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration presenting its suggested policy changes to lawmakers. Legislative leaders said CJ reform was going to be a priority. /7 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/01/14/michigan-jail-reform-criminal-justice/4434827002/
We started the year with the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration presenting its suggested policy changes to lawmakers. Legislative leaders said CJ reform was going to be a priority. /7 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/01/14/michigan-jail-reform-criminal-justice/4434827002/
A big issue the task force urged lawmakers to tackle was license suspensions not related to unsafe driving.
Here's more on how failing to pay a ticket or appear in court in Michigan can spiral into a cycle of suspended license, jail time, more fines /8 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/08/01/michigan-drivers-license-suspensions/4819150002/
Here's more on how failing to pay a ticket or appear in court in Michigan can spiral into a cycle of suspended license, jail time, more fines /8 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/08/01/michigan-drivers-license-suspensions/4819150002/
MI gave out 365,965 license suspensions for failure to appear & failure to pay in 2019.
Bills passed in lame duck address this.
"That’s just validation for me and for people all over Michigan," said a man who had his license suspended for 2 decades. /9 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/10/bills-end-drivers-license-suspensions-unpaid-fines-fees/3880138001/
Bills passed in lame duck address this.
"That’s just validation for me and for people all over Michigan," said a man who had his license suspended for 2 decades. /9 https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/12/10/bills-end-drivers-license-suspensions-unpaid-fines-fees/3880138001/
Other changes from the Michigan jails task force bill package: more discretion for citations in lieu of arrest, elimination of some mandatory minimums, decriminalizing some low-level traffic misdemeanors, options to shorten probationary terms.
/10
/10
What a year, y'all.
I'd be curious to see an estimate of how many people these reforms will affect as they seek out jobs, housing, education, etc. after incarceration. The new expungement laws alone are expected to impact as many as 1 million people.
/11
I'd be curious to see an estimate of how many people these reforms will affect as they seek out jobs, housing, education, etc. after incarceration. The new expungement laws alone are expected to impact as many as 1 million people.
/11
