New Head of the MDOC has Plans to Reduce Recidivism

Reducing recidivism, shrinking staff and maybe even closing prisons are on the short list of the new head of the Michigan Department of Corrections.

Heidi Washington tells a Senate committee she wants to keep people from going back to prison – which could create a domino effect.

Fewer prisoner’s means less of a need for prison beds which could eventually lead to the state closing some prisons.

Washington wants to implement new educational and vocational programs at prisons in hopes of bettering prisoner’s job prospects when they’re released.

30-percent of Michigan’s prison population is made up of people who violated their probation.