Category: Criminal Justice Reform
-
Testimony of Safe & Just Michigan Opposing H.B. 4690-91
Executive Director John S. Cooper submitted written testimony to the House Committee on Judiciary in opposition to House Bills 4690-91 on August 27, 2025. Because existing law is adequate to punish and deter fleeing and eluding, and mandatory minimum sentences do not work and have very costly consequences, Safe & Just Michigan opposes H.B. 4690-91…
-
Debtors in Prison: How fees & fines capture justice-involved Michigan families in debt
Incarceration isn’t the only outcome when a family becomes involved with the justice system. Crippling debt in the form of legal fines and court fees put hurdles between someone coming home from prison and achieving success. Learn how we can safely remove these barriers and help people reenter their communities. Download>> Debtors in Prison: How…
-
Prison Gerrymandering in Michigan: Distorting Democracy
How counting incarcerated people in prison districts shifts political power In Michigan, thousands of incarcerated people are counted in the population of the communities where they’re imprisoned—not where they actually live and will return after release. This practice, called prison gerrymandering, gives extra political clout to districts that host prisons while reducing representation for the…
-
Safe & Just Michigan Supports the Police Practices Standardization, Transparency, and Trust (S.T.A.T.) Legislation (Senate Bills 333-343)
What the Police Practices STAT Package would do: Senate Bills 333-343 would make common-sense changes to how police officers handle interactions with community members to prevent the use of excessive force. Crafted through extensive work with community stakeholders and law enforcement, these common-sense reforms would ensure Michigan remains a leader in advancing policies that enhance…
-
Flip the Script: Pontiac Comes Together to Build Power at the Ballot Box
A community-led night of connection, conversation, and civic action On June 9th, justice-impacted leaders, neighbors, and change-makers gathered in Pontiac to Flip the Script on civic engagement. From community members and candidates to judges and faith leaders, the event spotlighted the power of collective action and democratic participation. Hosted in collaboration with the full Community…
-
Rank MI Vote
An exciting new Michigan constitutional amendment is being proposed that could change the way we vote in elections. Rank MI Vote wants Michigan to allow a fairer, more sensible option to elect the best candidates. This option is called ranked choice voting. What is Ranked Choice Voting? Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is a way to…
-
Making Legislative Change
Take a look at this video featuring our friends Josh Hoe and Kandia Milton, and produced by Dream.Org, providing a peak into how legislative change actually happens. Meeting with legislators is a key way to influence policy. If you are interested in getting more involved with advocating for legislation for your community, and you want…
-
Police Practices S.T.A.T. (Standardization, Transparency, and Trust)- Michigan State Legislation to Improve Police Practices and Transparency, Build Community Trust
Chang_STAT_ One-PagerDownload The post Police Practices S.T.A.T. (Standardization, Transparency, and Trust)- Michigan State Legislation to Improve Police Practices and Transparency, Build Community Trust first appeared on Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration.
-
A Massive ICE Detention Center Just Opened in Michigan. Here’s Why That Matters for All of Us.
This week, the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin, Michigan, officially reopened—not as a prison, but as one of the largest ICE detention centers in the country, with 1,800 beds. This is a huge expansion of Michigan’s immigration detention system, and it’s happening in a facility run by GEO Group—a private prison corporation with a…
-
Honor our History and Demand a Future Rooted in Equity and Justice
Juneteenth marks a delayed freedom and a reminder that access, dignity, and full participation are still not guaranteed for many. Building power through voting is one way we honor our history and demand a future rooted in equity and justice. The post Honor our History and Demand a Future Rooted in Equity and Justice appeared first on…