Second Look Criminal Code provides second chance to long-term prisoners

• Michigan is advocating a rally to pass the Second Look Penal Code at the State Capitol.
• The law would review the sentences of eligible prisoners who have served at least 10 years in prison, except for those involved in mass shootings.
• Advocates, including formerly incarcerated people, emphasize the importance of redemption and second chances.
• Opponents such as Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane argue that the law ignores victims.
• The bill must go through committee stages in both the House and Senate before reaching the governor.

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“I also spent a total of 29 years in prison.”

After nearly three decades behind bars, Adam Grant has returned to society and is pushing for change.

“We help people navigate parole systems while also having those experiences,” Grant said.

The chief executive of Brighter Now helps give people serving long sentences in prison a second chance at redemption.

“I believe there is something to be said about giving people a second perspective, giving them the opportunity to redeem themselves through their actions,” Grant said.

That’s why Grant, along with several others, came to the state capitol on Tuesday to advocate for passage of the second-look criminal bill.

The bill would review the sentences of eligible inmates who have served at least 10 years of their sentences. Any crime other than a mass shooting crime would be appropriate.

However, there are also those who oppose this call for change.

“This is a matter of liability and minimum penalty is minimum penalty and maximum penalty is maximum.”

Ingham district attorney John Dewane told me that affected victims are forgotten when it comes to legislation like second look.

“After doing this for 23 years, I feel like we ignore the victims and provide more availability to people who are incarcerated, and I feel like sometimes we forget about the victims that we serve,” Dewane said.

Grant told me that after serving his sentence, he still thinks about the people he affected.

“I wanted to apologize, but I knew it could victimize them even more, so I apologize every day with my actions,” Dewane said.

It’s a call he hopes will echo throughout the capital.

The bill must pass committees in the House and Senate before heading to the Governor’s desk.

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