MichiganRadio

Preparing For Life After A Life Behind Bars LANSING, MI (Associated Press) -

An effort to help Michigan inmates leaving the prison system stay on the right track will be the focus of a two-day conference beginning today in Lansing.

The non-profit Prison Fellowship is sponsoring the conference. The program aims to bring together government, businesses, social services and faith-based groups to deal with issues arising from prisoner release.

The goal is to establish coalitions in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing, Muskegon and a few other cities to help released prisoners find jobs, housing and services.

Michigan has reduced its state prison population in recent years through paroles and commutations, a drop in felony convictions and an expanded program to keep parolees from committing new crimes. © Copyright 2012, Associated Press