Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

The Michigan Department of Corrections released new data this week reporting a continued decrease in prison population, illustrating success in rehabilitating offenders and saving Michigan taxpayers money.

The report measured prison population through the end of calendar year 2024 and finds a total of 32,778 incarcerated individuals statewide, down from a peak of 51,554 individuals in 2007. Additional projections predict a continued trend of a steadily decreasing population through the end of this decade, assuming no new legislative or policy initiatives are enacted.

The department’s latest findings on the state’s recidivism rate, a measure of those returning to prison, registered at 22.7%, a significant improvement over the past decades. This rate is the second lowest in Michigan’s history, illustrating not only a declining prison population, but the success of those released from custody and the reduced chance of them reoffending.

The parole population has decreased 60% since its 2009 peak and the probation population has decreased nearly 46% since its 2010 peak, due to successful completions and reduced re-offenses. This has happened in tandem with increased moves to parole, which increased 5.7% from 2023 to 2024. This illustrates that while the Parole Board has granted more requests for parole, reentry efforts have been increasingly successful as the overall population continues to stay historically low.

Probation violators made up a significant part of this population decrease in recent years, with violations down 7.1% from 2023. Probation violators being sentenced to prison is down 72% from the 2002 peak number. Similarly, technical rule parole violators returning to prison have remained flat for the third year in a row, a 40-year low, down 74% from the 2002 high.

“These tremendous figures prove the impact MDOC is having on enhancing public safety in our communities.” Deputy Director of Field Operations Administration Russ Marlan said, “What we are doing is working - implementing evidence-based practices and focusing on helping people become successful contributors to society is the best way to improve public safety in the long-term.”

MDOC has undertaken significant effort towards its mission of “creating a safer Michigan by holding offenders accountable while promoting their success” by implementing initiatives such as the first-in-the-nation Vocational Village trades training program, post-secondary education opportunities which are now supported by 12 partnering higher education institutions, supports for qualified individuals entering parole, targeted recovery programming, and more. For those who graduate from Vocational Village programs, the recidivism rate decreases to 12%.

“I’m proud of each and every member of our department who has impacted and motivated those in our custody to become successful, productive members of our communities,” Director Heidi E. Washington said. “This report shows our evidence-based practices are working, as total population and recidivism rate numbers continue to remain at historic lows.”

MDOC says a decreasing prison population, available pathways to successful reentry, and near-record-low recidivism rates are good news for both returning residents, their loved ones, as well as Michigan taxpayers. In FY2025, the average annual appropriated expenditure for one incarcerated individual is $49,290. Every individual who successfully returns to society, contributing to the decrease in prison population, realizes significant savings for the state.