Early settlers came to his country to escape debtors’ prison, yet we have recreated this situation here. While the Department of Corrections’ stated mission is to protect the public, our prisons are filled with people who commit minor crimes, suffer from mental illness, owe child support or even unpaid traffic tickets. While substance abuse treatment costs about half of what imprisonment costs taxpayers, we are still putting people in prison for using drugs. Yet we let out dangerous criminals who commit violent crimes after short terms in prison. People who are not a danger to the public should not be imprisoned. Money owed the state can be collected from their tax returns, pay checks, or welfare checks. Prisons can be converted to substance abuse programs, mental health facilities, housing for the homeless, or sheltered workshops to put low functioning and mentally ill people to work rather than paying them disability payments, and thus providing jobs for the corrections workers who would be laid off with prisons closing.

Help Free the innocent being RAILROADED by the system! There's to many innocent people doing time for a crime they did not commit. Truth be told, if there's no one fighting for them on the outside their going to be in prison till their last breath. I am not only fighting for the freedom on my brother Akman, but for all the innocent people who are the real victims along with their families who are suffering to support them with little or no finances. Please help free the innocent by signing this petition. Thank u in advance.

Alot of people are going to jail because they are "in actual physical control of a motor vehicle", even if the vehicle is not running and there is not intention to drive. The state of Illinois says it is a crime to SIT behind the wheel of a vehicle, when your license is revoked or suspended. This goes back to slavery days, when blacks were not allowed to sit where they wanted, but the voice of the people got everyone involved and changes were made. We need to have this statement omitted from ALL vehicle codes, in order to keep innocent people out of jail, and focus more on drunk driving!!

Allow everyone the opportunity to know who they really are by encouraging legislation toward mandatory DNA paternity testing. Millions of people suffer, most assuredly children born into obscure existences, because one parent balks about confirming family origin through DNA testing.

Devin was sentenced to 51 months Federal time for Aiding and Abetting, while his co-conspirters recieved less time for Crack Cocain.

The era of secrecy in adoption is OVER! Closed adoptions have been extremely hard on adoptees and their original families. Closed adoption is DETRIMENTAL to mother, child, and family. It is a blight on our society that such a thing still exists.. To let keep records closed is an injustice! Minnesota has been a leader in social justice, let's keep it that way! Secrecy begets tyranny- Robert A. Heinlein

88 year-old Douglas White, the oldest living holy man from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, died in prison on November 24, 2009. He spent the last 17 years of his life incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. The government didn’t want to admit that it made a mistake. Despite possessing conclusive evidence of Douglas’ innocence, the government fabricated a technicality to keep an innocent man in prison. Douglas never got a fair trial from the very beginning. But after 14 years in prison, new evidence of his actual innocence was discovered. He played by all the rules and the government robbed him of the opportunity to clear his name and spend his last days with his people. To this day, the government refuses to be accountable and thinks it can wash the blood off its hands and declare the case “moot.” This case is a shameless and corrupt collusion of power between the Court system and the US Attorney’s office who act as if they are above the law. This is not just an “Indian problem.” This is a problem for all Americans, for all people, everywhere because if it could happen to him, it could happen to any one of us. And it does, all the time. Let’s not let this holy man have died in vain. Douglas’ case is a glaring example of the corruption in the US justice system and can set a precedent that could change the way justice is served in this country. By demanding an investigation into this travesty of justice, we can expose this systemic corruption and prevent this from ever happening again. Please sign the petition. For more information on the film about Douglas case, “Holy Man: The USA vs Douglas White,” please visit www.holymanfilm.com.

The Department of Children and Families under umbrella, HHS, has been operating a community partnership kids for cash program using Social Security Title IV-E as their incentives.

The Executive Branch should not be above the law and the failure to prosecute Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bush for both American and international war crimes convincingly says the Executive Branch is above the law and sets frightening future possibilities

To parole inmates that has served at least 25 years of a life sentence. Most people that has served 25 years of a life sentence is at least 50 years and older. It cost the state more to house an inmate over 50 years of age due to health issues.

This is the case of Brandon McInerney, who shot fellow classmate Larry King point blank in the back of the head because he felt threatened by Kings homosexuality. This is a clear case of a Hate Crime that needs to be tried as such. It recently was declared a mistrial on Murder charges. This young man took a life due to his feelings of hate and should be punished rightfully. Sign this for Larry King and all LGBT children.

Edward Sanders #141545 has been incarcerated in Michigan's state prisons since 1975, when he was 17, sentenced to life without parole. (He was not the shooter in his case.) He has a bachelor's degree, legal skills and assists others spiritually. His prison record is virtually unblemished. In July, 2011, he was nearly killed at Kinross prison by another prisoner known for his history of repeated violent assaults on prisoners he is housed with. It is time for Michigan to grant clemency to Edward; meanwhile he must be transferred back to Wayne County with a stipulation for a 2 man room or cell housing.