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Michigan’s prison population continues to decline

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State officials announced this week that Michigan’s prison population has continued its downward trend.

The state’s prison population has been steadily declining for the last five years. At its height in 2007 Michigan’s prisons held roughly 51,000 people. Now, that number is 38,000.

Chris Gautz is with the Michigan Department of Corrections. He said the state has one of the lowest recidivism rates in the country and has seen declining convictions.

“In the last couple of years we’ve been declining population by about one thousand people every year. Just a good, steady decline.”

Gautz said the state has no quota for reducing the prison population and isn’t downsizing for budget reasons. He said people who are being let out of prison have a high likelihood of succeeding.

“I don’t want people to think this is some kind of budgetary gimmick or some sort of issue where we’re trying to let out people to save money,” he said. “That’s not the issue at all. We’re not under some sort of real tight budget constraints.”

Gautz said if declines continue the state could close more prisons.

“It’s certainly not an announcement that we’re ready to make today but certainly anyone who looks at the numbers could see, could make the case that we’re getting close to that. We’re not scared of prison closures. We see it as a sign of our success.”

Lawmakers have raised concerns about the department’s process for closing prisons - saying closures can be harmful in smaller communities that depend on the employment.

Gautz said prisons are not an economic development tool and shouldn’t be thought of in that way.