MICHIGAN COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS SAVING THE TAXPAYER MONEY

Michigan Community Corrections saving the taxpayer money



Michigan Community Corrections saving the taxpayer money

LITERATURE REVIEW

Community Corrections applications reduce prison overcrowding and control jail populations, thus saving taxpayer money. By addressing the needs of the offender for substance abuse treatment, life and employment skills, as well as providing education and housing opportunities, offenders are better equipped to re-integrate back into the community and recidivism rates are lowered.

Non-violent sentenced offenders (both felony and misdemeanor) who are incarcerated in jail may be approved for the program. Both those with probation or not are eligible.

After an appropriate period of time (as determined by the court and Community Corrections Board) Community Corrections Officers conduct a comprehensive assessment in the jail. Approval from jail staff and the probation officer is then obtained before the court is petitioned for the offender's early release into a supervised setting of tether, residential or transitional housing and treatment.

During the alternative program, Community Corrections Officers continue to be directly involved in supervising and encouraging the offender's rehabilitation. The safety of the public is always of greatest concern and Community Corrections Officers have the court's authority to detain or return the offender to custody for violations of the terms or non-compliance of their court petition.

SUCCESS OF PROGRAM

Since inception, Community Corrections programs have helped hundreds of jail and prison inmates again become productive members of society. Their lives and those of their family's have been improved and bettered. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been saved for taxpayers in prison reduction and jail population management.

HISTORY

1988, Act 511, Imd. Eff. Dec. 29, 1988 A Michigan Act providing the funding of community-based corrections programs through local governmental subdivisions. This Act created local and state Community Corrections Boards and prescribed their powers and duties, and the promulgation of rules.

1995, Antrim, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau Counties combined to form a local Community Corrections Board. The 13th Circuit Community Corrections Board represents the local communities with members from all three county governments as well as the public. The board oversees the grant and rules for the Department. Operations of the Department are supervised by the Community Corrections Manager who is responsible to the 86th. District Court.

2006, A Community Corrections Officer position was added. This brings the number of officers to our present level of 3.4.

2009, Community Service Work as an alternative to jail incarceration became the responsibility of Community Corrections.

Michigan Community Corrections taxpayer complexity

A high percentage of taxpayers perceive Michigan Community Corrections taxpayer law to be too complex. Consequently, Michigan Community Corrections taxpayer law and Michigan Community Corrections taxpayer in general are evaluated negatively and willingness to comply suffers (e.g., Lewis, 1982 and Niemirowski and Wearing, 2003). The assumption of a positive relationship between subjective understanding and Michigan Community Corrections taxpayer attitudes has received support in an Australian survey (Niemirowski, Wearing, Baldwin, Leonard, & Mobbs, 2002), and also in studies conducted by Groenland and van Veldhoven, 1983, Wahlund, 1992 and Wärneryd and Walerud, 1982, and is acknowledged in the Michigan Community Corrections ...