A special task force on jails and pretrial incarceration handed over 18 policy recommendations to leadership in the state legislature Tuesday.
Since 1975 the average daily population in Michigan jails has nearly tripled and that’s something the Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration is trying to change.
Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield says passing criminal justice reform is the number one priority.
CHATFIELD: The fact is this. We are going to be tackling many issues in 2020. But I think paramount to all of them in importance is reforming our criminal justice system.
After voting last week, the task force released their plan to the public today, making eighteen recommendations on changes including overhauling cash bail and reducing the number of driver’s license suspensions.
The group didn’t put a price on what the proposed changes would cost. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist says, that will be up to lawmakers