Action Window Closed — Archived for Reference
This call to action was published December 10, 2024, ahead of an anticipated committee hearing on HB 6090 that week. The testimony submission window to
twalker@micpr.org has closed. The bill was introduced in the 2023–2024 legislative session. For current status and any reintroduction in a new session, check
legislature.mi.gov and follow
MiCPR for updates. The testimony format guidance and research context below remain relevant for future legislative action.
Citizens for Prison Reform urgently sought testimony for
HB 6090 from advocates and impacted families. We needed to make sure the voices of advocates and impacted families were heard.
Organization — Citizens for Prison Reform (MiCPR)
Citizens for Prison Reform
micpr.org
MiCPR is a Michigan-based nonprofit advocacy organization focused on improving conditions and outcomes within Michigan’s corrections system. The organization advocates for family visitation rights, humane prison conditions, and policy reforms that support rehabilitation and successful reentry — working directly with incarcerated people, their families, and policymakers to advance evidence-based corrections reform in Michigan.
HB 6090
Michigan Family Visitation Rights Bill
Proposed legislation establishing and protecting the right of incarcerated individuals to maintain family contact through visitation. Research consistently documents that family visitation during incarceration reduces recidivism, improves reentry outcomes, and mitigates the collateral consequences of incarceration on children and partners. View the full bill text →
How to Submit Testimony (Future Legislative Action)
Join me in sharing your testimony about how HB 6090 would make a positive impact. In your testimony, be sure to highlight the benefits of these bills — the importance of family connection and rehabilitation through family support.
Action Steps
01
Send your completed testimony to twalker@micpr.org (MiCPR’s legislative contact — verify current contact for future sessions at micpr.org)
03
Follow MiCPR for updates on HB 6090’s status and any reintroduction in a new legislative session
Rita’s Testimony
From Rita’s Personal Testimony to Michigan Representatives
In my own testimony, I shared how traumatic the loss of a loved one to incarceration is — it truly is like grieving someone who isn’t dead.
I also challenged Michigan Representatives to examine the extensive research literature proving incarceration has unfair collateral consequences on children.
Why Visits Matter — The Research Case
Family visitation during incarceration is one of the strongest predictors of successful reentry in the criminological literature. Contact with family reduces institutional misconduct, lowers recidivism rates after release, and directly mitigates the documented harms to children and partners that Clutch Justice has covered extensively in this cluster of research reviews. Restricting visitation does not increase safety. It increases harm — to families, to children, and to communities that will receive people back after release without the social bonds that support stability.
The Bottom Line
Visits save lives. Let’s get this done.
Pre-Order Now · Clutch Justice
So You Want to Be a Citizen Detective
Rita Williams’ guide to investigating the systems that affect your life — public records, court filings, and the paper trails institutions leave behind.
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Related Coverage — Family Visitation and the Case for Reform
