April 29, 2026
Lansing, MI – The Michigan Department of Corrections is refocusing the use of evidence-based programming as part of the department’s Safe Prisons Initiative to improve prisoner behavior while individuals are still incarcerated.
For decades, the department has consistently provided comprehensive prisoner programming to improve outcomes for individuals reentering Michigan communities, which has contributed to the state having the lowest recidivism rate on state record. The Safe Prisons Initiative is now expanding these proven programs by strategically focusing on improving behavior while a person is still incarcerated, identifying timely intervention opportunities, and increasing access to programming.
“We cannot wait for behavior change, nor should we expect it to simply occur if we don’t show individuals how their choices and actions impact themselves and those around them,” said MDOC Director, Heidi E. Washington. “The department is committed to focusing on real-time behavior changes that will have an immediate impact on the safety of our facilities and the well-being of those that live there, in addition to the long-term tools we have always provided for reentry success.”
Effective programming has the potential to reduce the risk of overall negative behavior of incarcerated individuals, including assaultive behavior, and reduce the chance that an individual will return to prison once released. Offender programming includes violence prevention intervention, substance abuse prevention, sexual abuse prevention, and cognitive intervention which focuses on decision making and actions to reduce criminal thinking and activity.
All individuals entering prison are assessed for programming needs upon entry. The new Safe Prisons Initiative programming strategy implements additional processes to ensure individuals are receiving the appropriate type of programming as their behavior changes. New programming processes will review offender data on misconducts and new criminal sentences to help target those in need of intervention due to new negative behavior, while also improving access to these resources. It will also transition more programming staff to higher custody levels where there are typically more behavioral concerns and has previously expanded access to those serving life sentences.
The Safe Prisons Initiative takes a multi-pronged approach to prison safety by identifying projects that can collectively provide positive outcomes for staff, prisoners, and the community. The initiative identifies five key areas that have an impact on the safety of prisons: prisoner classification and bed space; contraband introduction and technology; prisoner programming; training and staff support; and recruitment and retention.
The Michigan Department of Corrections oversees Michigan’s 26 state prisons which house over 32,000 incarcerated individuals. The department employs over 10,000 staff who operate prisons, parole and probation offices, education and reentry initiatives, factory and skills training, and more.
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