In 1998, the Truth-in-Sentencing Act established a cut off restricting men and women incarcerated in MDOC from earning time off of their sentence.

Mailed from Gus Harrison

People in prison have organized around restoring an earned credit system, often refered to as good time, doing this would repeal TIS laws.

A restored earned credit system through the repeal of TIS is required in Michigan’s state prisons in order to:

1. Respond to delays addressing long-indeterminate sentences (without a set out date, sentences range between a minimum and maximum release date)
2. Quell environments that otherwise incite violence each day for people inside of prisons
3. Balance good behavior provisions available in other Michigan based correctional systems, for example in county jails and federal facilities where prisoners can earn time off
4. Reduce the long-term costs MDOC accumulates with maintaining overcrowding among many other reasons.

People in prison have drafted revisons to Michigan Compiled law concerning this issue [MCL 800.33] See below

mcl-800-33.pdf

Mailed from Ionia Corr. Ctr

Indeterminate sentences in combination with prison overcrowding and the inability to earn time off for many breeds a sense of hopelessness for those in MDOC

Mailed from Oaks Correctional Facility

Mailed from self described, prison reform activist Eddie Treadwell #205017 MDOC

Michigan’s Good Time Campaign – SawariMedia

SawariMedia became deeply involved in the cause to repeal TIS laws, sponsoring the 2019/2020 initiative petition to restore earned time with the Michigan Prisoner Rehabilitation Act. As apart of this campaign our incarcerated readers wrote and mailed hundreds of letters of support to Michigan state representatives.

Mailed from Marquette Branch Prison

People in prison in Michigan share solidarity around this cause across the population, including the only pool of prisoners who would not qulify to good time credits once restored, people with LWOP sentences.