Michigan prison population hits 30-year low as parole expands, recidivism drops
The decline in incarcerations means more money available to focus on rehabilitation, prison officials say
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Michigan’s prison population has fallen to its lowest level in more than three decades, and state officials say the decline is no accident.
The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) reported that 32,778 people were incarcerated statewide at the end of 2024, down more than 18,700 from a peak of over 51,000 in 2007. The decline is part of a broader trend driven by fewer new court commitments, expanded parole efforts, and a sharp drop in people sent back to prison for technical violations, according to state officials.
The department’s annual prison population report, submitted to the Legislature in March, shows that the system is now operating at 95.5% of its capacity, with more than 1,500 beds available across 26 facilities. The number of people on parole has fallen by 60% from its peak in 2009, and the probation population is down nearly 46% from its 2010 high.
Perhaps most notably, Michigan’s recidivism rate — the share of people who return to prison within three years of release — has dropped to 22.7%, the second-lowest in state history. For those who complete the state’s Vocational Village trades program, that rate falls even further, to just 12%.
“These tremendous figures prove the impact MDOC is having on enhancing public safety in our communities,” Russ Marlan, deputy director of field operations, said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
Key drivers of the population decline include a 6% decrease in prison intake from 2023, led by a decline in probation violators being sentenced to prison. Technical parole violations – people returned to prison not for new crimes but for breaking supervision rules — have held steady at a 40-year low, down 74% from their 2002 high.
MDOC also reported a 5.7% rise in parole movements in 2024, the first major increase since 2016. That shift helped further reduce the prison population, even as parole grant rates slightly declined. The report anticipates parole numbers will rise modestly again in 2025 before tapering off.
“This report shows our evidence-based practices are working, as total population and recidivism rate numbers continue to remain at historic lows,” MDOC Director Heidi Washington said.
The cost savings are also substantial. With the average annual cost of incarceration nearing $50,000 per person, every successful reentry adds up. Fewer people in prison means more money available for programs, education, and rehabilitation efforts that further support long-term public safety, MDOC officials said.
State projections suggest the downward trend will continue gradually through 2029, as long as no major changes in sentencing laws or criminal justice policy reverse the course.
