Lawmakers in Lansing are considering two bills that would allow a youth prison near Lake County to open to inmates of all ages.

But approval could have a devastating impact on the mid-Michigan area.

At this time, nothing's set in stone, but if the bills pass it would allow the state to house inmates at the privately owned and operated facility. On one hand, the move could save a bunch of money, but on the other hand it could have a devastating impact on the local economy...

People living near Baldwin saw a convoy of prisoners arrive at the Northlake Correctional Facility Sunday. It's a private prison, owned by The Geo Group, based in Florida.

Six years ago the prison was a major employer in an area with very few employers. It closed in 2005 amidst state budget cuts.

"We're happy to have our neighbors back up there, and we just want to keep on going," says Lake County Clerk and CFO Shelly Myers...

Employees set to go to work at a former state prison in Baldwin being converted for use by inmates from California have been told to stay home while California state government sorts through its budget problems.

The former Michigan Youth Correctional Facility, which closed in 2005, was preparing for the arrival of the first wave of California prisoners May 1. But workers slated for training this week were told not to report, and a spokeswoman with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said today training was postponed because of California’s budget crisis.

Cassandra Hockenson said the department still intends to send more than 2,000 prisoners to Michigan. “But everything is on hold,” she said...

California won't be using Michigan's empty prison beds after state officials bid $26 more a day per prisoner than comparable facilities.

Officials in California informed Michigan Monday night they have turned down the Great Lakes state's offer to take in some of the 40,000 convicted felons for whom California doesn't have room. Standish Maximum and Muskegon Correctional Facility had been under consideration.

Michigan bid too high on the daily rate it would charge to care for prisoners at either the Standish or Muskegon facilities — and won't get a contract at either facility, said Seth Unger, press secretary for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation…

A seven-person delegation representing the California Department of Corrections (CDOC) toured the Standish Maximum Correctional Facility (SMF) Wednesday as the governments from Michigan and California continue to explore the prospect of alleviating west coast overcrowding by housing inmates in Michigan.

According to SMF Administrative Assistant Rebecca Bailey, the delegation was composed of a captain and lieutenant from the CDOC; an administrator of adult programs; a dentist, psychologist and two more healthcare specialists.

"We provided them with a lot of our policies and procedures," Bailey said. "They were interested in our security, our programming, our healthcare, our segregation capabilities…

Opening the door to convicted criminals goes beyond the bounds of conventional hospitality.

But in the case of financially strapped California and its overcrowded prisons, Michigan may want to put out the welcome mat.

In fact, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm already has spoken with California Gov. Arnold Schwarzen-egger about the possibility of using Michigan's facilities to house inmates from the Golden Gate State…

U.S. taxpayers spend at least $60 billion a year on a growing body of state and federal prisons, county jails and local lockups. With jail and prison populations that have increased nearly eightfold over the past 35 years, the United States has become the world's leading jailer.

More than one in every 100 U.S. adults is locked up — and 5 million more are on probation or parole. At any given time, one in 32 adults is under the supervision of the criminal justice system.

Tough-on-crime policies, not increases in crime, are mostly responsible. Mandatory drug sentences, three-strike and so-called truth-in-sentencing laws, as well as high recidivism rates, have created our Incarceration Nation…

Last week the State Legislature passed the Department of Corrections Budget with approximately $50M in cuts. These cuts will come in many forms however the one that sounds the greatest alarm — for officers, prisoners, and the community at large — is a reduction in staff to a prison system already strained by short-staffing and rife with violence.

"The Department's plans to eliminate two positions per facility statewide will put another hole in the 'wall' we form when we walk those blocks every day," states Michigan Corrections Organization President Tom Tylutki who represents the state's corrections and forensic security officers. There are almost 1,000 fewer corrections officers on the job today than 6 years ago with the same number of inmates. And during that time, the level of security threats, injuries and critical incidents has steadily climbed. "How can you continue to eat away at the single most important role in a prison in light of these trends and continue to believe it is safe?"…

IONIA — In a small gym in the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility, about 20 prisoners from Kent and Allegan counties sat in front of Grand Rapids police officers, much like the ones who put them behind bars in the first place.

Prison officials teamed up with law enforcement officers as part of the Michigan Prisoner ReEntry Initiative, which aims to change prisoners' perspectives about police rather than viewing officers as waiting for them to do something wrong. The program connects those soon to be paroled with the resources needed to succeed in their new lives.

The hope is to keep them from returning to prison…

SAGINAW, MICHIGAN - Neighbors filled Saginaw City Council chambers to capacity and queued up to express their anger Monday, but opponents have few remedies to ward off an under-construction halfway house on the Northeast Side.

Leaders didn't break any rules last fall when they OK'd a the home where 38 former federal prisoners could transition into society.

"This is a slap in the face," said Mary C. Washington, president of the 100-member Northeast Saginaw Neighborhood Association. "Everybody left very sad tonight. We'll fight this until we drop…"

Marie Walsh seemed to have it all.

Married with three children, she lived in a prosperous neighborhood outside San Diego where the median value of the homes was $674,000, according to public records.

In the end, however, her life was a California dream. Not even her name was real

The woman who called herself Marie Walsh was really Susan Marie Lefevre, 53, a drug dealer from Saginaw who had been a fugitive for 32 years, law enforcement officials said…