Sec. 65i.

(1) The legislative body of a city, village, or township in which a community corrections center is located may form a 5-member citizens' council by sending written notice of its intention to form a citizens' council to the board of commissioners of the county in which the city, village, or township is located.

(2) Within 30 days after receiving the notice, the county board of commissioners or, in a county that has a county executive, the county executive subject to the concurrence of the county board of commissioners, shall appoint 5 members to the council. Three of the members shall be residents of the city, village, or township in which the community corrections center is located. The remaining 2 members need not be residents of that city, village, or township, but shall be residents of the county. Each member shall serve at the pleasure of the county board of commissioners or county executive that appointed that member.

(3) A citizens' council shall select a chairperson from among its members and other officers necessary for conducting the council's business. A citizens' council shall meet at a place and time determined by the chairperson.

(4) The supervisor of a community corrections center, at the request of the chairperson of the citizens' council in whose jurisdiction that community corrections center is located, shall meet with the council and, if requested by the chairperson, shall provide to the council any of the following information for that community corrections center for the reporting period agreed to by the chairperson and the center supervisor:

(a) The number of prisoners placed in the community corrections center and the number of prisoners returned from the community corrections center to a state correctional facility.

(b) The institutional number, record of convictions, and term of sentence of each prisoner placed in the center, and a summary of the disciplinary problems or major misconduct citations, if any, for each of those prisoners while in the center; and written documentation verifying that the prisoners in the community corrections center were in compliance with the community status criteria on the date of their placement into the community corrections center. The written information provided under this subsection, and all copies of that information, may be distributed to the committee only for the duration of the meeting, and after the meeting shall be retained by the supervisor of the community corrections center or his or her designee.

(c) The number of prisoners in the center who, while in the center, tested positive for the presence of alcohol or controlled substances, resulting in a major misconduct violation.

(d) The number of prisoners who were apprehended and charged with the commission of a new criminal offense while in the center, or after they had escaped from the center and before they had been recaptured.

(e) The number of incidents resulting in a major misconduct violation in which a prisoner placed in the center was absent from the center without authorization, or failed to report to employment, school, treatment, or other destination as to which the prisoner's absence from the center was authorized.

(f) The number of prisoners in the center who are in treatment programs, and a summary of the services offered by those programs.

(g) The number of prisoners in the center who are employed, and the number who are in education programs.

(h) The number of personnel employed at the center and their job classifications, and the number and job classification of any personnel positions at the center that are not filled at the time of the report.

(5) A center supervisor shall not be required to meet with a citizens' council more often than once each month. If the center supervisor is unavailable at the time of a meeting called pursuant to subsection (4), the regional supervisor may appoint a designee to act on the center supervisor's behalf. If a community corrections center does not have a center supervisor, the duties of the center supervisor under this section shall be performed by a regional supervisor, field agent, or other person designated by the department as being generally responsible for overseeing the daily operation of that community corrections center.

(6) If a citizens' council believes that the placement of a prisoner into a community corrections center within its jurisdiction was made in violation of the community status criteria, the council shall give written or verbal notice to the center supervisor. If the center supervisor believes that the council was incorrect in its determination, the center supervisor or his or her designee shall meet with the council or chairperson of the council within 2 business days after receiving the notice, and shall review the prisoner's record and the community placement criteria and shall determine whether or not the placement violates the community placement criteria. If it is determined by the center supervisor that the placement does violate the community placement criteria, the department shall reclassify the prisoner to be returned to a state correctional facility.

(7) Each citizens' council may report annually to the county board of commissioners for that county or, in a county that has a county executive, to the county executive, and the state representatives and state senators for that district. The report shall describe the effect on the city, village, or township and the surrounding communities of the community corrections centers in the council's jurisdiction, and shall include a summary of information provided to the council under subsection (4).

(8) A citizens' council also shall do all of the following:

(a) Act as a liaison between the residents of the area affected by the community corrections center or centers in its jurisdiction and the department as to issues concerning the center or centers.

(b) Review policies and procedures governing the operation of the center or centers in its jurisdiction, including placement and supervision standards.

History: Add. 1990, Act 353, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 1990 Popular Name: Department of Corrections Act