[Siberia]

Michigan spends 50% more per prisoner than Indiana, at $30,555 versus $20, 294 in Indiana. Wow, what a huge, huge cost savings potential! Why not just ship all our prisoners to Indiana and save $1 BILLION a year (Prison budget is $2 BILLION!).


Imprisoned by costs - mlive.com

"The annual cost per prisoner in Michigan is $30,555. Compare that to Indiana's $20,294, or any other neighboring state, where the price is considerably lower."


STATE OF THE STATE: Governor's address could help shape her legacy (http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080127/NEWS06/801270613/1008 - broken link)

The Department of Corrections costs $2 billion a year.


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Time to get serious Michiganders...raising taxes isn't the only way to stop record deficits. Time to stop caving to the "fear mongering" of lower prisoner costs equate to deadly prisoners running rampant. Indiana is less dangerous than Michigan...and spends 50% less than Michigan on prisoners!

[Driller1]

Heath care is a big cost. That is why all Michigan prisons will be tobacco free Oct. 08.

[Coldjensens]

Cant we just shoot em?

[Driller1]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Cant we just shoot em?

Just give them all guns and let them shoot each other. LOL

[Coldjensens]

Hey, you are onto something. The state could sell tickets and balance the budget.

that had better be enough extreme sarcasm. Some people might get confused and think we are serious and write some long diatribe about how awful we are. Of course that might be entertaining.

[Siberia]

Mike "Mish" Shedlock has an idea to save Michigan Money:

Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

"I received many Emails about the governor's plan to release prisoners early. Most of them were related to minor drug offenses. I am actually sympathetic to the idea. But releasing prisoners is not the right solution. The correct solution is to not waste time arresting, prosecuting, and imprisoning such people in the first place."

"The war on drugs is a complete failure and a total drain of resources. Instead of playing all these games, Michigan has a chance to step to the forefront and lead the way. If someone does not belong in prison, don't put them there in the first place. If they do belong there, then don't release them early. The governor's plan is a copout. I suspect she does not have the courage to ask for what is right. Someone needs to step up to the plate and decriminalize drugs. If the federal government wants to stop drug traffic in Michigan, let them foot the bill. Every state should do the same. It only takes one state to start a chain reaction. Who has the guts to be first?"

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis

[TaxBait]

Originally Posted by Siberia

... Why not just ship all our prisoners to Indiana and save $1 BILLION a year (Prison budget is $2 BILLION!)....

Why stop in Indiana? I'm sure there are other places in the world that would do it for far less 20K/yr.

[tuebor]

On the drug war:
I grew up in Ann Arbor during the 70s and 80s. Back in those days, activists pushed the idea of decriminalization of marijuana, and a few elected officials like Perry Bullard got on board. That was the heyday of the annual Hash Bash and the $5 pot law-- the penalty for getting caught with a small amount of pot in Ann Arbor in those days was a $5 fine (it was raised to $25 during the Reagan years). People who were caught selling were charged under state law and got a much stiffer penalty.

Despite--or because of?--this lenient policy, drugs were not a serious problem. I never heard of any drug-related violence happening there when I was growing up. I was occasionally offered pot by other teens when I was in high school but never took up the habit. I knew people who smoked pot, but I can't think of any who dropped out of school. The city as a whole has fared better economically than most other Michigan cities. Drunken football fans caused far more trouble when UM won the Rose Bowl than the stoners who came for the Hash Bash ever did.

I agree with the idea that "The correct solution is to not waste time arresting, prosecuting, and imprisoning such people in the first place." Decriminalization is worth a second look.

[UpperPeninsulaRon]

Originally Posted by TaxBait

Why stop in Indiana? I'm sure there are other places in the world that would do it for far less 20K/yr.

This is outsourcing that everyone could agree upon. Can anyone say caning?

[malamute]

Why can't they put the prisoners to work and let them pay for their prison stays? Charge them $600 a month room and board, and make them work for their meals.