The Problem: Michigan wastes millions of taxpayer dollars incarcerating people for decades, long past the time they are at risk of reoffending and with no deterrent impact to prevent other crimes.
The Solution: Second Look legislation provides a pathway for judges to revisit these long prison sentences to see if someone should be resentenced. Maybe beliefs have changed about the severity of a crime, such as some drug crimes. Maybe the at initial trial there was inadequate public defense. Maybe the crime was one of self-defense against an abusive partner. Maybe someone who was deemed unredeemable 30 years ago has rehabilitated in prison and can be safely released to fill much-needed gaps in the labor market. In cases like these, a second look law would allow for judicial review of long sentences.
- Support the Second Look Bill for Second Chances!
- “Let me tell you what second look means to ME” Zine
- Let Me Tell You | Stories from Michigan Prisons
- FACT SHEET: A Second Look at Long-Term Imprisonment in Michigan by The Sentencing Project
- Learn more about second look policies.
- Learn more about life & long sentences in Michigan
Current endorsers include:
- American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
- Citizens for Prison Reform (CPR)
- Citizens for Racial Equity in Washtenaw
- Episcopal Church of the Incarnation (ECI)
- Friends of Restorative Justice of Washtenaw County (FORJ)
- Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (ICPJ)
- Humanity for Prisoners (HFP)
- League of Women Voters of Michigan (LWVMI)
- Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength (MOSES)
- Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ)
- Michigan Citizens for Justice
- Michigan Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (MI-CURE)
- Michigan Collaborative to End Mass Incarceration (MI-CEMI)
- Michigan Conference United Church of Christ
- Michigan Justice Advocacy (MJA)
- Michigan Liberation
- Nation Outside (NO)
- National Lifers of America, Inc. (NLA)
- National Organization of Exonerees
- New ERA in Criminal Justice
- Northridge Church
- Notes from the Village
- Open MI Door
- Power in Passion
- Restorative Justice at First Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Ann Arbor
- Rise Up Michigan
- Safe & Just Michigan (SJM)
- State Appellate Defenders Office (SADO)
- Steps to Life, Inc.
- The Adolescent Redemption Project (TARP)
- The Sentencing Project
- Voice of Detroit
- Voting Access for All Coalition (VAAC)