LANSING (WKZO-AM) — State Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph, has introduced legislation aimed at reforming how Michigan’s criminal justice system rehabilitates prisoners.
Proos claims the bill package would let judges shorten probation terms due to good behavior, require boards to issue quarterly reports on why they denied parole to prisoners and provide tax credits for businesses that employ probationers and parolees.
He’s hoping the changes spur a reduction in recidivism.
“(We need to) get that number from 50 percent down to 30 percent,” Proos said. “At 30 percent of failures on probation or parole, we really stand a chance of decreasing our overall costs.”
Proos says his legislation has bipartisan support.
