In 2017, Michigan had the fewest prison commitments (8,656) since 1986 and the lowest prison population (39,666) since 1993, after peaking in 2006. Men of color made up 46% of the male prison population, despite making up only 22% of Michigan’s adult male population. Reducing the overall prison population and narrowing racial disparities need to be essential objectives for public policy and for state corrections budgeting. In the corrections appropriations budget, adequate investments in rehabilitation programs, mental health services and alternatives to prison are some of the ways policymakers can help move Michigan toward progress. As with many other budgets, the final corrections budget will depend on outcomes between the governor and the Legislature about revenues needed to fund necessary road repairs as well as basic services.
Prison Facilities
Governor: Prison population and costs remain essentially flat. The governor proposed maintaining current prison operations funding at $1.1 billion to house approximately 39,000 prisoners. Since 2006, the prison population has declined significantly and the state responded by closing two prisons in 2018 (West Shoreline in Muskegon in March and Ojibway in Marenisco in December).
Senate and House: The Senate and House both concurred with the governor’s recommendation for prison facilities funding.
Education, Skilled Trades and Career Readiness
Governor: The governor recommended $40.3 million for programs that help prepare prisoners for work upon their release, reducing the likelihood of recidivism and helping them to lead stable and fulfilling lives, as part of its “offender success” programming. This is a slight decrease from the current year’s $41 million. The governor eliminated the Goodwill Flip-the-Script program, which is currently funded at $1.5 million, but maintained funding for other training programs such as Vocational Village within the overall education, skilled trades and career readiness line item.
Senate: The Senate concurs with the governor’s funding levels and program eliminations, but left in a $100 placeholder for Flip-the-Script to enable funding to be put in during conference committee.
House: The House concurred with the governor’s funding levels and program eliminations.
Incarceration Alternatives
Governor: The governor maintained $1.5 million for the Residential Alternative to Prison program, which provides vocational, educational and cognitive programming for probation violators who might otherwise be sentenced to prison.
Senate: The Senate eliminated funding for this program.
House: The House concurred with the governor’s spending on the program.
Prison Healthcare
Governor: The governor reduced total funding for prison healthcare by $2.3 million, to $310.3 million, with most of the reduction reflecting savings due to the closing of two prisons. The governor did not increase mental health services and support, but folded substance abuse treatment funding into mental health services for a total of $51.1 million. The governor also increased funding for Healthy Michigan Plan administration by $8,000 and more than doubled funding for Hepatitis C treatment from $6.7 million to $13.7 million.
Senate: The Senate reduced total prison healthcare spending by $16.3 million, in-cluded the governor’s rolling of $21.4 million for substance abuse treatment and services into mental health services, reduced Healthy Michigan Plan spending by $16,600 and included no new spending on Hepatitis C treatment.
House: The House reduced total funding for prison healthcare by $16.5 million, larger than the governor’s reduction primarily because of smaller increases to some programs and a $142,000 reduction in Healthy Michigan Plan spending. Like the governor, the House rolled the $21.4 million in substance abuse treatment and services spending into mental health services, but the House added only $100 to current Hepatitis C spending to create a point of difference for conference committee discussion.
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Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Jacob Kaplan 
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
