Tri-City Sun

State Representative Mike Hoadley has called on the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to change its parolee housing policy after a recent incident in Iosco County. A felon on parole and his roommate were charged with fatally shooting a man and leaving his body in the Huron National Forest, leading to concerns among local residents and officials.

Hoadley wrote to MDOC Director Heidi Washington earlier this week, urging a return to previous department practices that he described as safer for communities. He noted that the current policy does not match the department’s own guidelines, which state that if a prisoner has no ties to any Michigan community, commercial placement should be arranged in the county or service area of commitment.

“I have listened to law enforcement officers, administrators and residents describe increases in crime throughout my time at the Capitol. Local law enforcement is stretched thin, and county prosecutors will tell you that paroled felons placed in the proximity of other felons will not be reformed. We are all concerned that the current placement compromises our public safety and undermines the successful rehabilitation of parolees. The Department needs to do better,” Hoadley said.

In his letter, Hoadley also asked for clarification on several other policies and expressed interest in working with MDOC to address these issues.