SAFETY
Michigan's strategy of mass incarceration has failed to make us safe. It has only created lifetime criminals by reinforcing the cradle-to-prison pipeline. It is time for a new approach toward public safety. Instead of throwing money at crime's consequences, we must sharpen our focus on prevention.
By making law enforcement work well in all communities, adding more law enforcement, and investing in opportunities for at-risk youth, we can make Michigan a safer place to call home.
A Comprehensive Approach to Crime-Fighting
Our approach to public safety must be holistic. It cannot be limited to police, courts, and prisons. In order to truly address the root causes of crime, we must also address economic and educational inequality. The strategy we put forward will help address the factors that create crime, namely poverty.
End the Cradle-to-Prison Pipeline
For too long our state's answer to at-risk youth has been placing them in Detention Centers. As a result, our juvenile justice system functions as a pipeline into prison and a life of severely limited opportunities. We must end youth incarceration and focus on non-prison alternatives, such as treatment, community-based services, prevention, and probation for children. It is past time to dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline and provide the necessary services for our troubled youths to become productive members of society.
Vanessa is experienced, smart and compassionate -- a pragmatic leader with a strategic, creative and effective determination to improve life for all Michigan citizens.
-Deborah S.
Break the Cycle of Crime
Too many of our current public safety policies reinforce rather than correct the worst attributes of crime. We can do better. By prioritizing risk assessment in our pretrial system, repealing mandatory minimum sentencing, and investing in re-entry programs, we can keep dangerous criminals in prison while disconnecting nonviolent offenders from lives of wrongdoing.
Improve Public Safety in Our Neighborhoods
Michigan's law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. We must provide them with the resources necessary to do the best job possible. By emphasizing community policing and requiring the speedy processing of rape kits, we can better equip law enforcement to drive down crime, increase rape arrest rates, and improve public safety.