Citizens for Prison Reform

06/17/2026

Yesterday was a powerful reminder of the strength that exists when families, formerly incarcerated, advocates, organizational allies, and state leaders come together in one space with a shared commitment to a more just Michigan.

Thank you to everyone who joined Citizens for Prison Reform’s 15th Annual Legislative Education Day.

It meant so much to stand alongside our community—to honor the loved ones we have lost, uplift the voices of families and directly impacted people, and advocate for those who remain incarcerated. Together, we engaged in meaningful conversations about accountability, rehabilitation, family connection, and safer communities.

Advocacy is rooted in people. In the families who continue to fight for their loved ones. In those who have lived through incarceration and share their experiences. In advocates, organizations, and leaders willing to listen, learn, and work toward solutions.

There were moments of grief, moments of hope, and moments of connection that reminded us why this work matters so deeply.

To everyone who traveled, volunteered, spoke, listened, and stood with us: thank you.

And a very special thanks to our partners for this event, Safe & Just Michigan.

We are deeply grateful for this community and for all those committed to building bridges toward a better future.

Together, we continue the work. 💙

06/17/2026

Recent deaths within Michigan’s correctional facilities have renewed calls for accountability, transparency, and oversight.

During Legislative Education Day at the Michigan Capitol, a long-serving, currently employed Michigan Department of Corrections officer spoke publicly about conditions inside Michigan prisons, efforts to raise concerns internally, and the impact these issues can have on both incarcerated people and staff.

This article highlights calls from Michigan senators for a federal investigation following three deaths at Huron Valley Correctional Facility.

Read more below.

LANSING, Mich. - Three women incarcerated at the Huron Valley Correctional Facility have died within a few weeks, prompting two Michigan senators to call on the

06/17/2026

Thank you to Detroit Ombudsman Sherry Gay-Dagnogo for joining us for CPR's 15th Annual Legislative Education Day and discussing the urgent concerns surrounding medical care in Michigan’s correctional facilities on FOX 2’s The Pulse.

Across Michigan, families are begging for help, answers, and accountability. Too often, they are met with silence, finger-pointing, or systems that seem unwilling to accept responsibility when serious medical concerns go unaddressed, or when people suffer or die in custody.

This is not a new issue. Families and advocates have been raising concerns for years. We have seen heartbreaking cases like Jonathan Lancaster, Sabrie Alexander, and many others where loved ones reported serious medical and mental health neglect, yet accountability remained elusive.

People in custody are still human beings. They are entitled to medical care, dignity, and safety. Families should not have to fight this hard to be heard.

Real change requires accountability. Until individuals and institutions are willing to acknowledge failures and address them, these tragedies will continue.

06/16/2026

Prison sentences, jail terms and probation aren’t the only kinds of consequences a person can encounter in a courthouse. Fines for violating laws and fees to offset court operating costs are also assessed. These costs can pile up, potentially trapping vulnerable families in the legal system for decades.

Today we were pleased to join Citizens for Prison Reform at their Legislative Education Day. Our Senior Policy and Research Specialist Cassie Larrieux spoke about the impact of fines and fees on incarcerated people and their loved ones.

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

Citizens for Prison Reform live from the Capitol at CPR's 15th Annual Legislative Education Day

06/14/2026

In 2021, Danielle Dunn stood on the Capitol lawn and said:

“We’re here to call attention to the abuse that is occurring within our prisons. We cannot allow one more death to occur. We cannot allow this torture to continue.”

Five years later, those words remain painfully relevant.

Danielle’s brother, Jonathan Lancaster, died in MDOC custody in 2019 from dehydration while in solitary confinement. Since then, Danielle has turned unimaginable loss into advocacy, speaking out about deaths in custody, medical neglect, solitary confinement, and the urgent need for accountability and change.

This year, Danielle returns as a keynote speaker for CPR's 15th Annual Legislative Education Day: Building Bridges to a Safer Michigan.

As families continue to seek answers and communities continue to call for accountability, Danielle’s voice remains as important today as it was in 2021.

Join us on June 16 at the Michigan State Capitol as families, advocates, survivors, and community members come together to advance justice, strengthen families, and build safer communities.

Register here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/cprs-legislative-education-day–2026

06/13/2026

Prison reform advocates lobby for transparency and change in department leadership