The state of Michigan has been known for its large intake of prisoners and felons in the past decade. With one of the largest prison populations in the country Michigan is looking to change its image entirely by reducing the number of inmates. The prison situation, in general, has been a highly debated topic between politicians and law enforcement officials alike. Whatever their ideology might be, it is a consensus among everyone that Michigan should be looking to improve their image and turn away from a corrections department haven.

Michigan encountered this problem when they recently began building new detention facilities for felons, with this brought new jobs to the communities. The corrections department and prison system has employed 15,746 people, making up almost a third of the state government employees. So the situation is not all bad. However, the state's prisons have a large annual budget ($2 billion) and with Michigan's inability to settle on a budget in a timely manner, many are looking to make cuts from the prison system.

These proposed cuts are where the debate of incarceration versus rehabilitation takes place. Many in the Corrections Department are believers of rehabilitation. Stating that only about five percent of people will be jailed forever, many people should be released early and be given the tools to be accommodated into society (they claim these can be accomplished through government programs, businesses, social services, and religious groups). Michigan has taken steps to having a gentler image, closing ten prisons last year, releasing those who have recovered and were on good behavior. Since these people would no longer be costing the system money those in the department wonder why more people are not in favor.

The opponents of this strategy say that rehabilitation does not always work and the release of all these prisoners have endangered public safety with their "hug a thug" style. The people who suggest people should be locked up for their entire sentence claim they also have an idea to save the state money in its time of need. They suggest reducing the amount funded for each inmate in incarceration. Because the prison system has a large strain on the state budget both sides are feverishly trying to further their case.

Michigan's prison situation is largely still up in the air. Because the Corrections Department has stated that rehabilitation has worked and violent crimes and prisoner intake are lower the system has worked. However, those in charge are very fearful for the upcoming gubernatorial election puts their hard work towards rehabilitation in jeopardy. Many concerns arise from the backgrounds and philosophies of the candidates. Those in favor of incarceration can threaten to reverse the hard work done by the Corrections Department in recent years in order to reduce the inmate population. Come the time of the November election, we could see a very different situation on our hands.