Governor Rick Snyder says he has not given up on a corrections policy overhaul that’s before the state Legislature.
The governor was addressing a policy conference of influential business people in west Michigan.
He asked them to support the drive for a corrections overhaul.
"Let’s do smart justice. Let’s be smart about it."
Snyder says diversion programs, parole reform, and better job training inside and outside prison walls would help ensure fewer inmates re-offend. He says that would make the public safer.
"Many of these folks have a mental health issue. They have a substance abuse issue," Snyder says. "Those are the issues that are the underlying things that need to be solved, and simply locking them up doesn’t solve those."
The governor says the state’s low unemployment rate makes this a good time to help more felons find jobs that will keep them from returning to prison.
Snyder hopes the Legislature can wrap up work on corrections reforms before the end of the year.