There are 2.3 million people in U.S prisons. The United States has 25% of the worlds prison population, and 5% of the worlds population. The United States ha more total prisoner's then any country in the world. As a result of mass incarceration Michigan spends 2 billion annually which is 21.6 % of the general fund to operate it's prisons. It's time to stop punishing taxpayers and be aggressively smarter on real reform.
Of those incarcerated in Michigan 70% are serving time for assault offenses. We most also recognize that policy changes got us here and a reliance on long prison sentences that fail victims, communities and the people in prison. But policy changes can also help get us out. They must first dismantle the disastrous policies that have inflicted so must damage while doing little to address the real problems of crime, poverty and a lack of education, substance abuse and mental health etc, etc. its time for change.
