Brittany Friedman argues Michigan's next attorney general can end prison pay-to-stay, which sues incarcerated people for their cells.

Every state and the federal government has transparency laws on the books that allow the public to access a huge range of government documents. The information contained in these documents can be invaluable in advocacy efforts to change the criminal legal system. Information about who’s in jail and prison, how they’re being treated, and how incarceration functions is usually just an email away. Often, though, criminal legal system advocates feel intimidated by the records request process and don’t use this valuable tool. It doesn’t help that government agencies often stymie records requests however they can, using technical language and loopholes to avoid providing information. Join the Prison Policy Initiative on October 27, 2026 from 1:30-3:00 EST for a discussion demystifying records requests. We’ll share highlights from our records request toolkit, including the basics of making a request, and tips and tricks we’ve learned over decades of sending requests to jails, prisons, and other agencies that can make your requests more effective. We’ll also be joined by Mike Wessler, who formerly served in communications roles for a number of government agencies and has been on the receiving side of records requests. Mike is now the Prison Policy Initiative’s Communications Director, and will give his perspective on why agencies seem to work so hard to avoid giving out information, and how to get past common roadblocks to get the information you need.

A new study shows gun violence is declining in areas of Detroit where the city is running ShotStoppers, a community violence intervention program.

The effort focuses on the proposed Michigan Survivors Justice Act, which would provide courts a process to revisit past sentences when a person’s abuse and trauma were not fully taken into account.

Rebuilding your life after prison is a challenge that many of us can't even imagine. But this morning, we are highlighting one local woman who is about to be honored for turning her life around and thriving on the other side. Delenia Howell, a local mom and business owner, joined Local 4 to share her incarceration experience and how the local nonprofit Nation Outside helps to support people like her in their reentry journey.

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The effort focuses on the proposed Michigan Survivors Justice Act, which would provide courts a process to revisit past sentences when a person’s abuse and trauma were not fully taken into account.

Join us in person to learn how survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault are facing excessive sentences & how to fix it.

The MiRESTART initiative aims to prepare 680 justice-involved adults for careers in advanced manufacturing, shipbuilding and construction across all 83 Michigan counties.

One big win delivered this summer was a law that expands access to free legal counsel to juveniles whose families cannot afford a lawyer.

Violent crime fell sharply across the U.S. in 2025, with Detroit recording its fewest homicides in decades. Former FBI Detroit chief Andy Arena joins The Metro to discuss what may be driving the decline.