July 01, 2022
Contact: Brianna Brugel
(517) 282 - 9688
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lansing, Mich.- The Michigan Department of Corrections budget, which has been passed by the Legislature and is awaiting final approval by the Governor, includes historic staff investments and enhances facilities. The fiscal year 2023 state of Michigan budget is nearly $76 billion including the MDOC budget at $2.1 billion. The Department’s executive leadership negotiated with the Legislature and the State Budget Office on behalf of the Department to address the MDOC’s short and long-term investment needs, resulting in a budget that makes historic investments in staff, technology and our facilities.
The MDOC continues its investment in employee wellness with several historic investments in staff. These investments include $42 million for economic adjustments related to increased wages and benefit costs for all employees. This funding covers the planned 5 percent salary rate increase scheduled for October. Effective October 1 the pay range for Corrections Officers will be $20.07 to $30.75 per hour. The budget also includes one-time funding of $2.5 million to improve staff workspaces, particularly staff breakrooms and bathrooms, and an additional $2.5 million to support the expansion of Vocational Village programming. Additionally, the budget provides half a million dollars to supplement the current officer uniform with a polo shirt, which is currently being piloted at select worksites.
The Budget also includes significant enhancements to technology with $15 million to install secure Wi-Fi networks in facilities to aid staff and prisoners. An additional $4.5 million to deploy body scanners which enhance the safety and security of our facilities by detecting prisoner contraband. In addition, $1 million to compete the installation of a page alert system for deaf and hard of hearing prisoners that will simplify staff communications with this population. To support the Department’s new technology and research efforts, the budget also provides funding to increase our research staff and capabilities.
While this budget includes more new funding initiatives than recent past budgets, it also maintains all key ongoing expenditures. This includes sufficient funding to recruit and train 800 new corrections officers in the upcoming fiscal year to reduce vacancies, support for prisoner programming and education, as well as field operations and community-based services and supports. These important goals were achieved while also removing the prisoner phone contract as a source of revenue to support programming, resulting in $11 million in savings for prisoners and their families.
The negotiated budget is a clear sign of the Department’s commitment to supporting our staff and operations, while making strategic investments in technology that will support our future efforts. We are pleased with the support we have received from Governor Whitmer and the State Budget Office during this process and look forward to implementing the final budget October 1.
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