Citizens for Prison Reform

10/14/2026

When Claire stood on the steps of the Michigan State Capitol, she wasn’t just reading a poem. She was giving a voice to a love that no prison wall, sentence, or circumstance could ever take away. ❤️

That day, during our Journey to Justice event, she shared words she had written for her son, who had spent time in solitary confinement. Her poem spoke to the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child, and a love that no prison walls could ever diminish.

Today, as we remember Claire following her passing after a battle with cancer, we wanted to share this special moment from her time with us.

Claire was more than a mother advocating for her child. She was a voice for love, compassion, and the unbreakable bonds between families. We are grateful that we had the opportunity to stand beside her, and even more grateful that her son will always have these words, spoken in his mother’s own voice.

Her voice lives on. Her love lives on. And her words will continue to remind us why we do this work. ❤️

10/14/2026

Today, we remember Claire, a devoted mother, passionate advocate, and cherished member of CPR’s FPP family who recently passed away following her battle with cancer.

For more than five years, we had the privilege of knowing and working alongside Claire as she advocated tirelessly for her son. Her love for him was at the heart of everything she did, but her compassion and commitment extended beyond her own family.

Claire showed up. She shared her son’s story
and stood alongside other families. She became part of our community, and we were fortunate to become part of hers.

We made a promise to Claire that we would continue standing beside her son, and that is a promise we intend to keep.

As we reflect on the memories we shared and the love she carried so openly, we wanted to honor her with a poem to send to her son, inspired by the mother we came to know and love.

Love, Out Loud

She carried your words to the Capitol,
and your story wherever she went.
She stood beside us, filled with love,
determined that you would be heard.

She wanted the world to know you mattered,
to see the son she loved so deeply.
In every word and every act,
she showed how much she believed in you.

She wanted to be your strength,
and remind you of the strength within you.
May her love help you find it,
one day at a time.

We will remember her
as we continue standing beside you.

10/13/2026

Call your State Senator and ask them to put Senate Bills 1089–1091 up for a vote and only pass HB 5452 if SB 1089-91 also pass.

Find your senator: https://senate.michigan.gov/senators/find-your-senator/

Sample script: My name is ______, and I’m calling to ask Senator ###x to support SB 1089-1091. Any extension of the trial court fee sunset (HB 5452) should go hand-in-hand with establishing clear standards on when to waive court fees based on ability to pay. When Michiganders are struggling and cannot afford court fees, we shouldn’t force them into debt or further struggles. Michigan has put this issue off for too long, let’s solve this part of it now.

Background: When someone has a court date, in addition to any fines and restitution they might face, they can also get hit with court fees. Right now, Michigan courts are inconsistent about when they waive these fees based on somebody’s ability to pay.

Senate Bills 1089–1091 would establish uniform standards for when to waive court fees based on ability to pay. They are commonsense bipartisan bills to make our courts more fair.

Michigan courts have a conflict of interest problem. Because courts depend on the fines and fees they collect, judges are pushed to prioritize revenue over accountability, rehabilitation and justice. The Michigan Supreme Court recognized this in 2014, yet the system is still in place today because the legislature has kicked the can down the road for more than a decade. People who can't pay get trapped in cycles of debt and recidivism, and the state wastes resources chasing payments it will never collect.

The time to pass them is NOW as the legislature also considers a “sunset extension” to continue to permit these court fees.

10/13/2026

A newly filed federal lawsuit raises troubling allegations about the treatment of a woman while she was giving birth in MDOC custody. According to the lawsuit, male correctional officers were present during her labor and delivery and recorded the experience with active body cameras. Every person deserves dignity, privacy, and respect during one of life's most vulnerable moments. We will continue to follow this case and the questions it raises about accountability and humane treatment within Michigan's correctional system.

Read more in the article below. ⬇️
https://www.wilx.com/2026/10/12/

The Michigan Department of Corrections is named in the lawsuit

10/07/2026

NEW RESOURCE FOR FAMILIES SUPPORTING A LOVED ONE IN RECOVERY

The Michigan Department of Corrections is offering a new Family Learning & Education Group for family members and friends of people on probation or parole who have a history of substance use.

The group is facilitated by Peer Recovery Coaches with lived experience and is designed to help families better understand substance use, recovery, and how they can support a loved one as they return to or live in the community.

Topics will include substance use education and available resources, different pathways to recovery, setting healthy boundaries and expectations, finding helpful ways to offer support, and building confidence in supporting a loved one’s recovery and overall well being.

Meets virtually on Microsoft Teams
Third Friday of every month
12:00 PM (Noon)

Join the Microsoft Teams meeting: ⁠ https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/283095864151446?p=KSaaeNQH56sEUbhVaM

Meeting ID: 283 095 864 151 446
Passcode: cy3Kv9rW

Please note that admission will not be allowed more than 10 minutes after the 12:00 PM start time.

This group is primarily intended for families supporting someone who is already in the community or returning home soon, rather than someone who is currently incarcerated.

These meetings are educational. Facilitators will not be able to discuss individual cases or case specific concerns.

For families preparing for a loved one’s return home, especially when substance use or recovery is part of that transition, having more information, understanding, and tools can be incredibly valuable.

Please share with families who may benefit. 💙

10/04/2026

10/02/2026

Today was an important step forward for the Open MI Door campaign. 🖤💛

Michigan Senate Bills 1192 and 1193 have officially been introduced by Senator Stephanie Chang, legislation that would place limits on the use and duration of solitary confinement and move Michigan toward therapeutic, de-escalation alternatives.

This work is rooted in the voices of people who have experienced solitary confinement and the families who have witnessed its devastating impact.

Danielle Dunn shared the story of her brother, Jonathan Lancaster, who died in 2019 while in solitary confinement at Alger Correctional Facility. Hakim Crampton spoke about his own experience in solitary and the profound isolation it creates.

We are grateful to see these stories and this movement receiving statewide attention.

This is what Open MI Door is about: shining light into the darkness, lifting up the voices of those directly impacted, and working toward meaningful change in Michigan.

Read the full story from Mid-Michigan NOW.

When inmates break rules, they can be sent to solitary confinement, but some believe the practice can go beyond acceptable punishment.

10/01/2026

💛 TODAY WAS AN EMOTIONAL DAY.

After years of advocacy, conversations, listening to families, sharing stories, building partnerships, and refusing to give up, SB 1192 and SB 1193 were introduced today in the Michigan Senate by Senator Stephanie Chang.

Being at the Capitol to witness this moment was incredibly meaningful, especially alongside Danielle Dunn, sister of Jonathan Lancaster, whose life and death have been such an important part of the fight to change the use of solitary confinement in Michigan.

For years, Citizens for Prison Reform, the Open MI Door coalition, families, directly impacted people, advocates, and partners have continued to shine a light on what happens behind closed cell doors and push for safer, more humane alternatives.

We are incredibly grateful to Senator Stephanie Chang for her leadership and for the years she has spent working alongside us on this issue. As she approaches the end of her time in the Michigan Senate, we cannot adequately express what her partnership and commitment to this work have meant. We are also grateful to the state leaders, advocates, families, and organizations who have supported this effort along the way.

But introduction is only the beginning.

📣 WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Please contact your Michigan state senator and ask them to co-sponsor and support SB 1192 and SB 1193.

Find your Michigan state senator here:
👉 https://senate.michigan.gov/senators/find-your-senator/

Every call. Every email. Every story. Every voice matters.

Together, we will keep shining light in the darkness. 💛🖤