House unanimously approves critical criminal justice reform

State Rep. Tommy Brann’s plan to help former inmates get their lives back on track after they are released from prison was approved today by the Michigan House with unanimous support.

Brann, a restaurant owner from Wyoming, said people on parole or probation in Michigan are currently charged exorbitant fees to pay for the cost of their supervision. Offenders who are issued a tether could be charged as much as $555 a month.

“The broken system we have right now keeps people from succeeding outside of prison by creating a cycle of non-compliance, non-payment and debt that is sent to collections,” said Brann, who introduced the legislation after hearing about the personal struggles of multiple constituents. “One of our restaurant servers made a mistake and was trying to get her life together while struggling with depression. She wanted very much to be a contributor to society, but a $13 a day tether bill was holding her back. She simply could not afford it, no matter how hard she tried.”

The current fees are determined based on a sliding scale, with a complicated process the Michigan Department of Corrections must complete to determine how much an offender owes at the end of the supervision period. Unpaid fees are ultimately sent to the Department of Treasury to go through the collections process, which Brann said discourages legitimate employment due to the threat of wage garnishment.

House Bills 4031-32 establish a simple, flat fee structure that will be easier and more cost-effective for the MDOC to administer. Most offenders would pay $30 per month for supervision. Offenders requiring an electronic monitoring device, such as GPS, would pay $60 per month. The court will have the option to waive fees for indigent individuals.

“It’s in the state’s best interest to help former inmates become self-sufficient,” Brann said. “People who can afford to support themselves are much less likely to reoffend in the future.”

The MDOC estimates the current compliance rate for offenders under supervision is below 10 percent. Establishing a lower, flat supervision fee is known to increase the number of offenders who are willing and able to pay. Compliance rates in other states that have implemented this practice are as high as 60 percent.

“Reducing supervision fees will result in more offenders who are willing and able to pay,” Brann said. “Most former inmates can’t afford the current fees, so they simply don’t pay. However, the majority of people will easily be able to afford $1 or $2 a day while still paying for their everyday living expenses.”

The MDOC expects to see little change in the revenue collected overall.

The plan now moves to the Senate for consideration.

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