Two House bills sponsored by State Rep. Tommy Brann (R-Wyoming) and signed into law set up a "flat-fee structure" for an offender's parole or probation.
The legislation was part of Brann's probation fee reform that changes the previous fee structure that in some cases required former inmates issued a tether to pay as much as $555 a month for their probation supervision, which has resulted in a less than 10 percent compliance rate, according to a release from Brann's office.
The press release states the new structure will see most offenders paying $30 per month for supervision and $60 for those needing electronic monitoring.
“High supervision fees hold people back and prevent them from succeeding outside of the criminal justice system,” Brann said in a statement. “Our communities will benefit if we help former offenders get to a place where they are self-sufficient. People who can afford to support themselves and their families are much less likely to break the law again in the future.”
Brann said the revised fees would amount to $1 to $2 per day with little revenue change expected for the Michigan Department of Revenue.
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