Michigan Passes Set of Prison Reform Laws Backed By REFORM Alliance
Written by SOURCE on January 5, 2021
Jay-Z , Michael Rubin, and Meek Mill’s criminal justice reform organization REFORM Alliance has landed another victory, this time in Michigan,
On Monday, the Michigan State Legislature passed a set of laws—SB 1048, SB 1050, and SB 1051—that will revamp the state’s probation and parole system, which were supported by REFORM, Billboard reports. The new laws will reduce adult felony probation sentences in Michigan from five years to three years, prevent endless extensions on misdemeanor and felony probation terms, limit jail sanctions for technical probation violations, and require parole supervision terms to be tailored to a person’s individualized risks and needs.
Across all U.S. states, Michigan had the sixth-highest rate of probation supervision. But with Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signing of the bills, Michigan is slated to lower its overall caseloads by 8.4 percent.
“It’s encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those in the criminal justice system,” Rubin said in a press statement. “We’re incredibly thankful for Governor Whitmer for signing these bills into law and for the coalition of groups that supported us throughout this process. This is a tremendous victory for REFORM and a strong way to start 2021.”
Van Jones, who is CEO of REFORM also chimed in. “This bipartisan legislation will bring meaningful change and opportunity to thousands of individuals and families across the state of Michigan,” he said. “We thank Governor Whitmer for her fearless commitment and leadership to bolstering her state’s criminal justice system in a fair and balanced way. We look forward to continuing to work with her on impactful reform measures in the future.”
Meek, Hov, Rubin, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Brooklyn Nets partner Clara Wu Tsai, and others launched REFORM Alliance in January 2019. This past December, Meek and Rubin began a $2 million scholarship fund to supply financial relief for underserved students in their native Philadelphia.
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