Nonprofit seeks time off for good behavior in prison

Michigan Justice Advocacy is a nonprofit birthed in late-2020 after the Michigan Prisoner Rehabilitation Credit Act petition, which looked to reinstate time-off sentencing for good behavior, fell short on the amount of signatures it needed.

The organization’s founders have each been impacted by incarceration and were all involved with the petition. When it failed, they continued to advocate for prisoners by starting the organization.

Michigan Justice Advocacy President Jack Wagner said he believes that the COVID-19 pandemic had a large part in the petition’s failure, but he added that it has provided some benefits to the organization’s operations.

“It has made meeting with lawmakers a lot easier,” Wagner said. 

Campaign director Richard Griffin explained that during these meetings they have been trying to “persuade, negotiate, or neutralize” lawmakers, depending on their position regarding Senate Bill 649. The bill aims to restore Michigan’s “good time” credit policy, which both Wagner and Griffin argue is crucial for establishing an incentive for good behavior in prisons. Furthermore, they want this legislation to lead to reforming sentencing guidelines and parole.

Though Senate Bill 649 would apply to anyone who is incarcerated, Wagner said it doesn’t help those that are sentenced to life. 

“How do you deduct 30 days of credit for every 30 days served when you’re serving a life term? Thirty days off a life is still life.” 

“There’s something broken if everyone can agree that a person doesn’t belong in prison but we have no legal way of getting them out,” Wagner said. 

Wagner said legislation allowing second-look sentencing would help address this issue.

Griffin said that the bill would essentially repeal Michigan’s Truth in Sentencing Act, a state law mandating offenders to serve their entire minimum sentence to be considered for parole. Wagner said that the biggest issue with this is that lawmakers “would have to admit they were wrong.” 

“Anybody who comes before a parole hearing knows that one of the key elements of a successful parole hearing would be that you own your past mistakes,” Wagner said. “It’s ironic that the state doesn’t want to do the same thing.”

Michigan Justice Advocacy hopes to build strong partnerships with other criminal justice reform organizations. Wagner and Griffin said that getting the bill passed is key in building these relationships with criminal justice organizations and passing future policies. Wagner also hopes that increased public awareness of Michigan’s prison policies will further the nonprofit’s advocacy efforts. Though no dates have been set yet, Wagner said that a status report, webinars, and town hall meetings are all in the works.

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