Lawmakers Seek Reforms With MI Jails, Courts

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jail-safe-2

A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is highlighting a package of bills on jail and pretrial reforms. They say the bills address factors which contribute to Michigan’s county jail populations while balancing the goals of protecting the public and safeguarding the rights of everyone. State Representative Tenisha Yancey, a Democrat, supports the plan.

“These bills are more relevant and more urgent now than when the task force first made our recommendations, “Yancey said. “We hold people accountable without derailing our lives, we can improve police-community interaction without any further delay, and our bill package is part of that solution.”

The lawmakers’ task force found that Michigan’s jail population had tripled in just 35 years. They also found most admissions were for misdemeanors and low-level offenses.