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Articles by Heidi Washington
Vocational prison programs in jeopardy after Michigan budget cuts (guest column)
Opinion Today 10:00 AM J. Scott Park | MLive.com Inmate Jeffrey Gunnells does a demonstration during the unveiling of a new tree trimming program in the Vocational Village at the Parnall Correctional Facility in Jackson on Tuesday, July 9, 2019. The program, which trains prisoners in tree trimming around power lines, is a partnership with DTE Energy and IBEW Local 17. By Heidi Washington | Michigan Department of Corrections At the Michigan Department of Corrections, public safety is job one.
Top Policing the USA columns of 2018
From protesters demanding the release of rapper Meek Mill, to the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, to midterm election results that gave Florida's former felons the right to vote and the prosecution of Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke for the murder of black teenager Laquan McDonald, 2018 included incredible milestones in prison reform and painful reminders of the nation's continued need to make progress when it comes to fighting implicit bias and bettering cop-community relations.
Top Policing the USA columns of 2018
From protesters demanding the release of rapper Meek Mill, to the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, to midterm election results that gave Florida's former felons the right to vote and the prosecution of Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke for the murder of black teenager Laquan McDonald, 2018 included incredible milestones in prison reform and painful reminders of the nation's continued need to make progress when it comes to fighting implicit bias and bettering cop-community relations.
As FIRST STEP Act raises bar on reform, ending ban on prison Pell Grant becomes imperative
President Donald Trump signing the FIRST STEP Act into law Friday marks a turning point in criminal justice reform that’s been years in the making. Still, as the law's name suggests, the effort to reform our criminal justice system is not over. We believe Congress has an opportunity to build upon the new, bipartisan consensus on evidence-based criminal justice reforms by moving to secure a long-sought goal among reformers: repealing the ban on Pell Grants for people in prison.
As FIRST STEP Act raises bar on reform, ending ban on prison Pell Grant becomes imperative
President Donald Trump signing the FIRST STEP Act into law Friday marks a turning point in criminal justice reform that’s been years in the making. Still, as the law's name suggests, the effort to reform our criminal justice system is not over. We believe Congress has an opportunity to build upon the new, bipartisan consensus on evidence-based criminal justice reforms by moving to secure a long-sought goal among reformers: repealing the ban on Pell Grants for people in prison.
As FIRST STEP Act raises bar on reform, ending ban on prison Pell Grant becomes imperative
Heidi Washington and John Wetzel, Opinion contributors Published 7:39 p.m. ET Dec. 21, 2018 Push to expand job training is great. But pushing higher education for prisoners would mean even more progress. A housing unit in the west section of the State Correctional Institution at Phoenix in Collegeville, Pa.(Photo: Jacqueline Larma/AP) President Donald Trump signing the FIRST STEP Act into law Friday marks a turning point in criminal justice reform that’s been years in the making.
Column: State’s prison recidivism rate is improving
Things are changing at the Michigan Department of Corrections. We’re moving in a new direction. Our parolee employment rate is up, and our prison population is down. The number of businesses hiring returning citizens is up and our recidivism rate is down to levels never seen here before. Last week the department announced that rate — which is the percentage of parolees who return to prison within three years of release — is down to 28.1 percent.
Reducing recidivism means real commitment to second chances
One of the most significant developments in criminal justice policy over the past 15 years has been the fundamental shift in thinking about the primary purpose of prisons and jails. Not long ago, corrections administrators saw our main responsibility as essentially ensuring the people we supervise didn’t jump the wall. Our focus was the care, custody and control of the people inside our facilities. What happened upon their release was out of our hands.
Prioritizing corrections reform will keep offenders on right track
One of the most significant developments in criminal justice policy over the past 15 years has been the fundamental shift in thinking about the primary purpose of prisons and jails. Not long ago, corrections administrators saw their main responsibility as essentially ensuring the people they supervise didn’t jump the wall. Our focus was the care, custody and control of the people inside our facilities. What happened upon their release was out of our hands.
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