LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — St. Joseph Senator John Proos is putting together a Senate workgroup and hoping to train nonviolent prisoners to serve meals at Michigan Department of Correction facilities.
Governor Snyder has proposed switching from privately contracted food services back to food services provided by state workers and Senator Proos says prisoners should fill these jobs.
Job-posting website Indeed.com shows there are over 18,000 food service jobs currently open in Michigan.
Proos says the change would help prisoners meet workforce needs when they re-enter society and drastically reduce the cost to taxpayers.
But Corrections Department Spokesman Chris Gautz says they already let prisoners work in the kitchens of state prisons.
The issue is who will manage and supervise the kitchens, making sure they adhere to state approved menus.
