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HOPE4FUTURE · #1 09-22-2010, 04:01 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2010092...oved-by-Senate

G'sMom · #2 09-22-2010, 11:35 AM

Also read this...

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/finan.../D9ICVIQO0.htm

"Republican leaders say no prisons would be closed under a Department of Corrections budget unanimously approved in the Senate. The House could vote on that bill later this week.
Prison officials would have to find some cost savings to offset inflation and the growing cost of employee salaries and retirement benefits. The bill would direct the Department of Corrections to make $42 million in unspecified cuts."

HOPE4FUTURE · #3 09-22-2010, 01:06 PM

http://www.mlive.com/politics/index...._wraps_up.html

fwhite02 · #4 09-22-2010, 01:36 PM

My guy just called and said that because they are not willing to close more prisons that they are going to let more people go. I said that it sounds like a rumor to me.

walkermom · #5 09-22-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fwhite02

My guy just called and said that because they are not willing to close more prisons that they are going to let more people go. I said that it sounds like a rumor to me.

I was visiting my son in Parr on the 10th and another lady told me she heard the same thing. The order has come down from lansing that anyone that is past their ERD is to be reviewed and paroled.
I'll be glad of that, because that would mean that they would parole my son, finally after 3.5+ years AFTER his ERD has gone by.
Mr. Proos (republican) is looking for other cuts and I heard on the radio that he wants the cuts to inmates. Where are they going to cut?
Cut the salaries. If it costs $1 per day to feed an inmate that is $365 per year. If it costs $35k per year to house an inmate, then that leaves $34,635 to go to something else. I send my son money each month and in addition to that, as you all know, we visit frequently and spend at least $40 per week to feed him at the visits, and now with the care packages, another $85.00 per quarter. What else could they cut but the expenses of salaries. They certainly don't spend any money upgrading their computer equipment or the facilities.

walkermom · #6 09-22-2010, 04:00 PM

They don't want to let them out, because they will lose jobs and money. If they let them out, we're not spending money on visits, care packages, etc..

fwhite02 · #7 09-22-2010, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkermom

I was visiting my son in Parr on the 10th and another lady told me she heard the same thing. The order has come down from lansing that anyone that is past their ERD is to be reviewed and paroled.
I'll be glad of that, because that would mean that they would parole my son, finally after 3.5+ years AFTER his ERD has gone by.
Mr. Proos (republican) is looking for other cuts and I heard on the radio that he wants the cuts to inmates. Where are they going to cut?
Cut the salaries. If it costs $1 per day to feed an inmate that is $365 per year. If it costs $35k per year to house an inmate, then that leaves $34,635 to go to something else. I send my son money each month and in addition to that, as you all know, we visit frequently and spend at least $40 per week to feed him at the visits, and now with the care packages, another $85.00 per quarter. What else could they cut but the expenses of salaries. They certainly don't spend any money upgrading their computer equipment or the facilities.

My husband is past his ERD as well, he called home earlier and asked me if I heard anything about it. At first someone told him that Oct 1. they were doing a massive release which I told him will not happen. But, I can see them giving paroles to people past thier ERD though. I told him that I would try to find some info. He just got a 12 month flop May 25, 2010 and he sees the board again the week of Oct. 10, 2010. He said a lot of guys past thier ERD's are getting called back early. I send money to because the food is not fulling my guy up and he is hungry he does not eat chow but he got moved and they went to store already so at this point he has no choice. I will let him know that others have heard of this as well. I was watching the news and they do not want to close any more prisons so I was wonderng where the cuts would come from, I can't see them cutting the amount they spend on food.

fwhite02 · #8 09-22-2010, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkermom

They don't want to let them out, because they will lose jobs and money. If they let them out, we're not spending money on visits, care packages, etc..

I know that they do not want to let people go home, but cutting jobs to keep people in there I don't know if they will try that would be dangerous. I just want my husband to make it home in one piece. I pray that every person in prison can make it home safely.

iluvaaron710 · #9 09-22-2010, 07:33 PM

I am so angry at what i just read. I just read the posting about the $42 mill reduction and you know how on mlive.com anyone can make comments about the article. People can be so god damn ignorant! Some people said give them the chair, cut cable and whop cares about over crowding load em on up! Its sick and I am so angry. Fuck those people they have no idea what it is like to have a loved one in there!!!!!

fwhite02 · #10 09-22-2010, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iluvaaron710

I am so angry at what i just read. I just read the posting about the $42 mill reduction and you know how on mlive.com anyone can make comments about the article. People can be so god damn ignorant! Some people said give them the chair, cut cable and whop cares about over crowding load em on up! Its sick and I am so angry. Fuck those people they have no idea what it is like to have a loved one in there!!!!!

Cable is paid from proceeds from the prison store if I am not mistaken, which that money comes from inmates, and thier families. I don't even read those comments because some people have no idea what happens. Over crowding cause harm to CO's who are there to do their job, and to inmates as well. People should be careful about what they say because they never know one day it could be one of thier loved ones on the inside going through what our loved ones are dealing with.

ilovecharles · #11 09-23-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fwhite02

Cable is paid from proceeds from the prison store if I am not mistaken, which that money comes from inmates, and thier families. I don't even read those comments because some people have no idea what happens. Over crowding cause harm to CO's who are there to do their job, and to inmates as well. People should be careful about what they say because they never know one day it could be one of thier loved ones on the inside going through what our loved ones are dealing with.

Cable is paid for by the PBF (prisoner benefit fund) monies from the store, visits, and the fundraisers all go into the account and help fund things for inmates like cable, library, some programs etc.

I cant believe they want to "non specifically" find $42million out of the corrections budget to cut. Where is it going to come from?

fwhite02 · #12 09-23-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovecharles

Cable is paid for by the PBF (prisoner benefit fund) monies from the store, visits, and the fundraisers all go into the account and help fund things for inmates like cable, library, some programs etc.

I cant believe they want to "non specifically" find $42million out of the corrections budget to cut. Where is it going to come from?

I can't believe it either, I wonder where the cuts will come from. It will be something to see, and they do not want another prison closed so I am goind to be looking at the news to see what I can learn. Oct. 1 first is next week.

iluvaaron710 · #13 09-23-2010, 04:09 PM

So what should be do now that this budget cut has been approved? Do we lobby Granholm? Advice?

HOPE4FUTURE · #14 09-23-2010, 04:24 PM

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/video?id=7683382

iluvaaron710 · #15 09-23-2010, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOPE4FUTURE

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/video?id=7683382

HOPE4FUTURE- Thanks for the abc12 posting. I am trying to keep my man as up to date as possible about what is going on out here until the budget is balanced.

RAJustice · #16 09-23-2010, 07:10 PM

Well, according to that ABC article they are expecting the savings to come from buying food in bulk and having the same menu at all the prisons and by reducing transportation.

I did see is another bill out there asking for a pay freeze and a hiring freeze. Adding these to the retirement incentive bill would reduce the number of officers, prevent replacements from being hired and prevent the 3% raise that is suppose to come on Oct. 3rd. This would account for some savings but the rest would have to come from releases.

And from what I've read and heard the prisons are so overcrowded that DOC could reduce the overall population without closing another prison. The eight man pods were only built to hold four men. The two man "rooms" at the Oaks were originally one man cells. Each unit was built to hold 80 inmates. They now hold 160 inmates in each of those units. So they could release half of the population of that prison without laying off one officer.

Just my thoughts,
RA

HOPE4FUTURE · #17 09-23-2010, 09:42 PM

The inmates are only going to put up with this crap for so long. Many of them have been sitting back taking it in the hopes of getting out. But if something doesn't change soon I've got a feeling that things are going to start getting real bad in there. They took away their cigarettes, cut their food, double bunked them, write more tickets, etc. Now they start the care packages in hopes that we will make up for the food they aren't getting from the state, things are tight out here for us, and the lists just goes on. So hopefully they do have to let a bunch out as you say to cut their budget but then you've got the prosecutors out here fighting all the paroles. So what a mess. But the inmates aren't going to tolerate these conditions forever and there will be some people getting hurt, inmates and officers.

jlzkmm · #18 09-24-2010, 12:01 AM

Hmmm...couldn't get the video to download... Ugh...

ilovecharles · #19 09-24-2010, 08:03 AM

Ok,

we have all been dealing with this for some time now...for the last three years DOC's budget has been getting slashed, slashed and then slashed some more. Hopefully they will increase releases but it's not going to be announced. it will just happen. call backs should start increasing and what not...

This is a scary turbulent time of year every year.

I thought when the smokes went and the food went thats when the riots would start back up...but they didnt. Hopefully MDOC will trim the fat from areas where they can afford it where it doesnt put inmates OR guards in more danger.
MDOC doesnt have power over releases thats the PB...and only the Board.

this is intense...let's keep praying

tballa · #20 09-24-2010, 08:29 AM

Can anyone give the link of exactly where the corrections budget is outlined? I'm trying to find it to show to my Criminal Justice class I'm teaching.

I posed an interesting question to them today asking them where they thought cuts should be made. Prisons and food were the top choices. Monday's class discussion will be on who pays for what and what conditions are really like!

(For those who are wondering, my fiance is a former parolee and I have a degree in C.J. so I'm now teaching an Introduction to Criminal Justice class at the high school I teach at).

tballa · #21 09-24-2010, 08:32 AM

Just found this site that shows what each state is doing about their budget.

http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=19645

RAJustice · #22 09-24-2010, 07:53 PM

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(a2b...-1153&query=on

I think this is what you are looking for. It doesn't have a Public Act number so don't think the gov has signed it yet.

HOPE4FUTURE · #23 09-29-2010, 09:27 AM

http://blog.mlive.com/jackson-politi...9/post_58.html

RAJustice · #24 09-29-2010, 09:45 PM

Quote from article - Now, as they face a deadline of midnight Thursday to finish their work, only two department budgets remain today - transportation and the department of human services.

And just my luck I've been transfered to DOT so I'm on pins and needles until they get this done.

RA

jlzkmm · #25 09-29-2010, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAJustice

And just my luck I've been transfered to DOT so I'm on pins and needles until they get this done.

RA

Hmmm...this is good to know. I need to talk to you about the debacle on 75 going into Detroit that is screwing with me every morning...