State of Michigan Archives: on Crime
Tudor Dixon:
Support law enforcement; urban violence unacceptable
It means supporting our men and women of law enforcement and refusing to accept that Michigan must be home to one of the most violent cities in America.
Tudor believes common-sense solutions will get Michigan back on top, and career politicians and political insiders should get out of the way because they just like to talk--and Tudor is about action.
Source: 2021 Michigan Gubernatorial campaign website TudorDixon.com
Jul 5, 2021
Mike Parson:
Require de-escalation and bias recognition police training
I challenged the POST Commission to take a leading role in advancing the training Missouri provides officers and help improve relationships with the public. The Commission followed through on this challenge, voting to require annual training in
de-escalation and bias recognition for all Missouri law enforcement officers. We believe this training will lead to better interactions between law enforcement and the communities we serve.
Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Michigan legislature
Jan 27, 2021
John James:
Against defunding police, for community policing
James doesn't go nearly so far as to advocate for defunding the police, an idea he dismisses as "'stupid'--that's as plainly as I can put it." Instead, he argues in favor of community policing along with increased accountability for law
enforcement officials. "I'm looking forward to having the opportunity representing my state, taking those next steps not just to end police brutality," he told JI, "but also to end the elements of racism that have plagued African Americans since 1619."
Source: The Jewish Insider on 2020 Michigan Senate race
Jun 29, 2020
Gretchen Whitmer:
Your bank account should not determine justice you receive
Level the playing field in our criminal justice system so that the amount of money in your bank account does not determine the level of justice you receive. As Ingham County Prosecutor,
I prioritized rehabilitation programs for nonviolent, first-time offenders to save resources, reduce overcrowding in prisons, and most importantly, to give people a second chance.
Source: 2022 Michigan Gubernatorial website GretchenWhitmer.com
Mar 24, 2020
Bill Schuette:
Prosecute 17-year-olds as adults
Q: Prosecute all 17-year-olds as adults & house with adult criminals?Bill Schuette (R): Yes.
Gretchen Whitmer (D): Unknown. Prioritize rehabilitation efforts for first-time offenders.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Gretchen Whitmer:
Prioritize rehabilitation efforts for first-time offenders
Q: Prosecute all 17-year-olds as adults & house with adult criminals?Bill Schuette (R): Yes.
Gretchen Whitmer (D): Unknown. Prioritize rehabilitation efforts for first-time offenders.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Michigan Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Bill Schuette:
History of getting justice for rape victims
Bill Schuette fought for victims of violent crime and won. Schuette got justice for rape victims by finding funding to test abandoned
evidence kits, track down the rapists and prosecute them. And, Bill has helped recover millions in back child support for children in need.
Source: 2018 Michigan Governor campaign website BillSchuette.com
Aug 31, 2018
Gary Peters:
Co-wrote bill for data-driven cooperation to fight crime
The House passed a bill introduced by Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and John Cornyn (R-TX), the Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act of 2018, which would authorize a nationwide law enforcement program focused on the reduction of
violent crime. The bill passed the Senate unanimously. "Communities across Michigan have been shattered by gun violence and drug crimes, and we need proven, data-backed strategies to combat these and other violent offenses," said Senator Peters.
Said Senator Cornyn, "The Project Safe Neighborhoods program helps law enforcement at all levels across the country to investigate and prosecute the most dangerous and repeat offenders."
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime.
Source: 2020 Michigan Senate campaign website peters.senate.gov
Jun 7, 2018
Gary Peters:
Leads fight for commission on criminal justice system
A senator advocating for a congressional commission to conduct a national study of the criminal justice system says he is "cautiously optimistic" that Congress will approve the measure this year. Peters, who is leading the fight for the bill with
John Cornyn (R-TX) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), is concerned that the more incidents that occur involving failures by criminal justice officials, "the more people lose trust in the system."
Source: TheCrimeReport.org on 2020 Michigan Senate race
Apr 25, 2018
Abdul El-Sayed:
Move from prison to productive citizenship
The growth of Michigan's prison system has created a volatile prison environment that harms prisoners as well as corrections officers, staff, and communities. Michigan has an incarceration rate 11% higher than the national average. More importantly,
Michigan's incarceration rates for African-Americans compared to white Americans remains far higher than the national average (6.6:1 compared to 5:1 nationally). Yet, our crime rates are not lower and our communities are not safer.As governor,
I will commit to reforming the Michigan criminal justice system through five policy priorities:- Reducing sentence length
- Reducing the prison population
- Improving prison conditions
- Supporting returning citizens
- Improving hiring and
training standards for police to end police violence.
By targeting these areas, we can move more Michiganders from prison to productive citizenship, while reducing the biases that undermine our systems of criminal justice and law enforcement.
Source: 2018 Michigan Governor campaign website AbdulForMichigan.com
Mar 21, 2018
Marcia Squier:
End mass incarceration
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Stricter punishment reduces crime"?
A: Oppose. I want to end mass incarceration--not increase it.
Source: OnTheIssues interview on 2018 Michigan Senate race
Jul 19, 2017
Gretchen Whitmer:
Cleaned up County Prosecutor office after a sex scandal
Whitmer served for twelve years in the State House and Senate. Whitmer, who most recently served for six months as Ingham County Prosecutor after the former prosecutor was arrested in a sex scandal, says she cleaned up that office and has big picture
plans for Michigan.Whitmer says she holds state government mostly accountable for a lack of oversight in the Flint water crisis and says that kind of thing would not have happened on her watch.
Source: WWMT-Newschannel-3 on 2018 Michigan Gubernatorial race
Jan 24, 2017
Bernie Sanders:
Crime bill had good parts (VAWA) & bad parts (death penalty)
Q: Why should black people trust you this time to get it right, after you supported the 1994 Crime Bill that resulted in locking up a generation of black men?CLINTON: Well, Senator Sanders voted for it as well; will you ask him too? Some aspects--the
violence against women [VAWA] provisions--have worked well. But, other aspects of it were a mistake.
SANDERS: As we all know, there are bills in congress that have bad stuff--Good stuff and bad stuff in the same bill. Now, if I have voted against that
bill, Clinton would say, "Bernie voted against the ban on assault weapons. Bernie voted against the violence against women act." Those were good provisions in the bill. Violence against women act has protected millions of women in this country, it was
in that bill. The ban on assault weapons, that's what I have fought for my whole life. It was in that bill. I tried to get the death penalty aspects in that bill out. Clinton have a disagreement. I was then, and I am now opposed to the death penalty.
Source: 2016 Democratic primary debate in Flint, Michigan
Mar 6, 2016
Hillary Clinton:
Crime bill was about outrage, but parts were mistakes
Q: You call for an end to the era of mass incarceration, but a lot of folks in the black community blame the 1994 Crime Bill, a bill you supported that locked up a generation of black men. Why should black people trust you to get it right this time?
CLINTON: Sen. Sanders voted for that bill; we both supported it. And, I think it's fair to say we did because back then there was an outcry over the rising crime rate, and people from all communities were asking that action be taken. Now, my husband said
at the NAACP last summer that it solved some problems, but it created other problems, and I agree. And, one of those problems was, unfortunately, a move to expand the reasons why people would be incarcerated. And, that's why the very first speech that
I gave in this campaign was about criminal justice reform, and ending the era of mass incarceration because I believe absolutely that too many families were broken up, too many communities were adversely affected. So, we've got to do a bunch of things.
Source: 2016 Democratic primary debate in Flint, Michigan
Mar 6, 2016
Mark Schauer:
Restore funding for police & fire
Rick Snyder's drastic cuts to Michigan's communities are hurting cities and towns across the state, forcing deep cuts to basic services like police, fire protection, and infrastructure.To improve Michigan's economy, Mark knows we need strong cities
and safe communities to attract a talented workforce and high-tech business investment. That's why Mark fought for legislation to help communities hire additional police officers, and purchase new fire trucks--manufactured right here in Michigan.
As Governor, Mark will work to reverse Gov. Snyder's cuts to local revenue sharing, and improve public safety.
He'll also fight for greater investment in our roads, and work to modernize our aging infrastructure.
Source: 2014 Michigan gubernatorial campaign website MarkSchauer.com
Dec 20, 2013
Rick Snyder:
Improve legal representation for poor
A new commission will investigate how to improve legal representation provided to low-income criminal defendants in Michigan. This is needed because the quality of legal representation provided to defendants who are unable to pay for their own
legal defense varies greatly across the state. A core principle of our criminal justice system is to guarantee that an individual charged with a crime be entitled to legal representation, even if they are unable to hire private counsel.
Source: Michigan 2011 gubernatorial press release, #264039
Oct 13, 2011
Rick Snyder:
Collect prisoner DNA samples to help solve cold cases
Prisoners will be required to provide DNA samples at the beginning of their sentence instead of just before being released.Senate Bill 346 requires collection of a prisoner's DNA sample within three months of incarceration, which will help police
solve cold cases sooner by giving them the ability to match samples to other unsolved crimes, identify suspects and then interrogate prisoners while they are still in custody. This will bring relief to victims of violent crimes and their families.
Source: Michigan 2011 gubernatorial press release, #259717
Jul 21, 2011
Rick Snyder:
Parole decisions by Dept. of Corrections, not Governor
Responsibility for parole decisions is now out of the governor's office and back to the Department of Corrections. The move is aimed at streamlining government and allowing more efficient implementation of corrections policies by the department
director. We need to let the professionals in the corrections department determine whether it's appropriate to release prisoners. This change will remove an unneeded layer of bureaucracy and save taxpayers money.
Source: Michigan 2011 gubernatorial press release, #251086
Feb 7, 2011
Mike Bishop:
Supports death penalty; opposes parole for repeat offenders
Bishop indicates support of the following principles to address crime.- Support contracting with private sector firms to build and/or manage state prisons.
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End parole for repeat violent offenders.
- Implement the death penalty in Michigan.
- Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
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Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
- Support programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
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Support programs that provide job training and placement services for at-risk youth.
Source: 2000 Michigan National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 2000
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021