Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Wrongful convictions in Michigan highlight significant flaws in the justice system, which struggles to recognize innocence after guilty verdicts. Since 1989, Michigan has seen over 190 exonerations due to advancements like DNA testing and Conviction Integrity Units. However, its compensation system lags, requiring high evidence burdens that many exonerees cannot meet. Proposed reforms, such as Senate Bill 909, aim to alleviate these issues by lowering proof thresholds and expanding eligibility for compensation. While Michigan's efforts to identify wrongful convictions are commendable, they reveal a critical gap: actual justice requires not just release from prison, but also meaningful support for rebuilding lives. Read the rest

Hunger Games

In Michigan prisons, the complexities of feeding thousands daily expose significant shortcomings in nutritional standards amid strict budget constraints. Official guidelines mandate 2,600 to 2,700 calories per inmate, yet many face chronic deficits due to portion control, supply issues, and unpalatable meals mainly comprised of processed foods. The privatization of food services has exacerbated these problems, leading to health hazards, sanitation failures, and staff misconduct. Despite legislation aiming for reforms and oversight, the health risks from long-term poor nutrition remain high, underscoring how inadequate meals contribute to chronic illnesses and strain state healthcare resources. Read the rest

PrisonTalky

A poem blending the rhythmic structure and nonsense-hybrid style of Lewis Carroll's "Jabberwocky" with traditional and modern prison slang. Prison Slang, American Idiom, and the Language of “Prisontalky” Prison slang in the United States is more than a list of colorful words. It is a living argot: a specialized language shaped by confinement, surveillance, danger, … Continue reading PrisonTalky → Read the rest

A Captive Market

Private businesses are thriving in American prisons.

For millions of families, incarceration does not end at the prison gate. It follows them home in the form of phone bills, tablet fees, money-transfer charges, inflated commissary prices, and the constant pressure to pay for basic human connection and survival. What looks like a set of routine correctional services is, in practice, a captive-market economy built around people who cannot shop elsewhere and families who cannot simply walk away. Read the rest

Good Time Still Makes Good Sense

The article discusses the ongoing challenges of Michigan's prison system, particularly the lack of broad good-time and earned-time credit policies, which allow prisoners to reduce their sentences through good behavior and rehabilitation participation. Currently, Michigan's average minimum sentences have increased significantly, contributing to a higher prison population and increased corrections spending, which exceeds $2 billion annually. Evidence from other states illustrates that good-time credits can reduce recidivism and lower costs while promoting safety and rehabilitation. The author argues for reform, emphasizing the importance of creating incentives for prisoners to engage positively with rehabilitation programs, which in turn fosters public safety and effective reentry. Read the rest

Veterans in Prison and the Rise of Veterans Treatment Courts

For many Americans, the phrase “justice-involved veteran” feels like a contradiction. Military service is commonly associated with discipline, sacrifice, and public honor. Yet for decades, thousands of veterans have cycled through jails and prisons in the United States. Their presence in correctional institutions is not a minor footnote in criminal justice history. It reflects a long-running intersection of war, trauma, addiction, mental health struggles, economic instability, and uneven access to treatment. At the same time, it has forced courts, policymakers, and veterans’ advocates to confront a difficult question: what should justice look like when criminal behavior is connected to military service and untreated wounds? Read the rest

Whitewashed

The article discusses two types of prison neglect in America: visible neglect, characterized by deteriorating conditions like mold and contaminated water, and administrative neglect that downplays these issues through bureaucratic tactics. The Michigan Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility exemplifies this problem, where reports of mold and poor ventilation have been ignored despite ongoing litigation. Nationally, a pattern of denial and deflection emerges, revealing a systemic failure to address environmental hazards in prisons, ultimately compromising inmates' health and safety. Read the rest

GPS Monitoring and Parole: Safety Tool or Lifetime Burden?

I have previously written about my experience wearing a GPS Tether while on parole in an article called Tether Ball and Chain that was published back in December of 2018. Since then, as part of my ministry, I have spoken with other people who have had to wear a GPS tether as a condition of parole and a surprising number of them who must wear it for life.  I thought it was time to revisit the topic with up-to-date information regarding electronic monitoring as used by the State of Michigan, with context about how this practice is used in other states and by the federal government. Read the rest

Reform Solitary Confinement Practices in Michigan Prisons Now!

May is Unlock the Box Mental Health Awareness Month, aimed at advocating against solitary confinement. The Unlock the Box Campaign, active in 22 states, highlights the severe psychological effects of solitary confinement, with Michigan's Open MI Door leading local efforts for reform. While some segregation may be necessary for safety, prolonged isolation causes significant harm and is inconsistent with human rights standards. Reform should focus on limiting segregation duration and promoting humane alternatives to improve inmate conditions and rehabilitative outcomes. Read the rest

Sunshine Laws and the Black Box of American Prisons

The U.S. claims to uphold democratic transparency through sunshine laws, yet prison systems remain opaque and resistant to scrutiny. Despite public access laws, obtaining vital information about prison conditions is hindered by bureaucratic delays and institutional secrecy. Enhanced transparency and independent oversight are essential for accountability in corrections. Read the rest