By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
LANSING, MI –
The director of the state Department of Corrections says eliminating the state's "boot camp" program as an alternative to incarceration would cost taxpayers more money than it would save. The program allows judges to sentence people who would otherwise go to prison to a 90-day program with intensive discipline and training. The state Senate version of the budget strikes out the program to save $11 million.
Corrections Director Patricia Caruso told a House budget subcommittee that would send hundreds of offenders to prisons instead of rehabilitation.
"Make no mistake," she says. "If the entire funding for this program is removed and that goes away, that is not a reduction. That is at least a 50 million dollar increase in our budget because of the population impact."
Caruso also says it's a myth that Michigan's per-inmate costs are out of line with other states. And she asked the House subcommittee to include in its budget plan to allow prisoners to earn good behavior credits on their sentences.