08-05-2025
Michigan's prison population continues to decline, officials say
New data released by the Michigan Department of Corrections showed that the prison population continues to decline.
According to the report, the population in 2024 was 32,778, a sharp decline from 51,554 in 2007. Officials predict that the population will continue to decrease by the end of 2029.
"These tremendous figures prove the impact MDOC is having on enhancing public safety in our communities," Russ Marlan, MDOC deputy director of field operations administration, said in a statement. "What we are doing is working — implementing evidence-based practices and focusing on helping people become successful contributors to society is the best way to improve public safety in the long-term."
The report says a decline in the number of people sent to prison for violating probation or parole contributed to the population decrease. The parole population has decreased by 60% since 2009, while the probation population has decreased by nearly 46% since 2010. Officials say the decline in prison intake decreased after it increased for three consecutive years due to the recovery following the pandemic.
Additionally, officials say the recidivism rate, which measures the number of people returning to prison within three years, was at 22.7%, making it th second lowest rate in the state's history.
"This has happened in tandem with increased moves to parole, which increased 5.7% from 2023 to 2024. This illustrates that while the Parole Board has granted more requests for parole, reentry efforts have been increasingly successful as the overall population continues to stay historically low," MDOC said in a news release.
