© 2023 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Michigan Looks To Limit Incarceration For Minor Offenses

Reginald Hardwick
/
WKAR-MSU

The Michigan Senate has approved legislation from the state House that will limit incarceration for minor offenses. It's part of a larger bipartisan effort by the state Legislature to lower Michigan's growing incarcerated population.

The U.S. Justice Department says that population has nearly tripled over the last four decades even as total crime has significantly decreased.

Operating under the bipartisan interest to analyze incarceration, the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration released legislative recommendations in January. Those recommendations included the House bill packages that the Senate approved Thursday.

Support local journalism by becoming a new WKAR donor and get ad-free feeds of your favorite NPR podcasts with NPR+ when you donate $8/month or more! Make your contribution today to fund more vetted news reports throughout mid-Michigan!