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Examining the Implementation and Impact of Sex Offender Parole Condition Reform in Michigan

Award Information

Award #
2012-BJ-CX-K036
Funding Category
DISCRETIONARY
Location
Awardee County
Ingham
Congressional District
Status
Closed
Funding First Awarded
2012
Total funding (to date)
$59,815

Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2012, $59,815)

The State Justice Statistics (SJS) Program is designed to maintain and enhance each state's capacity to address criminal justice issues through collection and analysis of data. The SJS Program provides support to each state to coordinate and conduct statistical activities within the state, conduct research to estimate impacts of legislative and policy changes, and serve as a liaison in assisting BJS to gather data from respondent agencies within their states.

In June 2011, the State of Michigan and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) came to an understanding regarding the need to systematically tailor sex offender parole supervision conditions to the circumstances of individual cases, rather than continuing to apply all available restrictions as a blanket policy. The sex offenders' parole agents are the ones who have used their discretion to individually tailor these parole conditions. Little is known about how these changes in sex offender policy will translate into reentry outcomes for the sex offender population. The objective of the proposed research is to examine both the potential and effects of sex offender policy reform in Michigan with the goal that the findings would be generalizable to other states considering similar policy reforms. A final report will be submitted detailing the University's findings. The document will be used by public officials to better understand the sex offender policy reform, and the challenges and obstacles the offenders face upon reentering society.

CA/NCF

Date Created: August 9, 2012