First, Governor Snyder acknowledged through support for mental health courts that many in our criminal justice system need to be treated for mental disorders, rather than solely be incarcerated. The reduction of mental health facilities and funding for mental health care has cost Michigan dearly. The Governor seems to own up to the state’s responsibility in this regard.

Governor Snyder also reported the drop in recidivism rates that occurred over the last several years under the Michigan Prisoner Reentry Initiative (MPRI) driven by former Governor Granholm, yet no specific resource allocation for continuing MPRI was presented, significant by its absence.

Governor Snyder’s public safety speech was the most encouraging from a leader in Michigan in three decades. Yet, the strongest recurring theme is the Governor’s focus on crime in four urban areas of Michigan, Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Saginaw. To really address issue of public safety and to reinvent our entire justice system, we need to be frank. We must discuss redemption, race and respect.

1. Redemption: Today, once convicted of a felony, the stigma remains for life. The mass incarceration of the 90s is coming home to roost, as 95% of the approximately 43,000 Michigan prisoners will return home at some point. As a state and as a society, we must recommit to the notion that once people have paid their dues to society through incarceration, there is potential to be redeemed.

It is not only a system of effective prisoner reentry we need, but also we must offer hope of redemption. One key symbolic way to do this is to “ban the box” that requires job applicants for public positions to report previous felony convictions. Other important steps are to create pathways for legal employment for the formerly incarcerated. While Governor Snyder has proposed $15 million for programs to help train and employ young ex-offenders, the reality is that many getting out of prison are in their late 30s or older. Youth employment programs do not address their needs.

To increase neighborhood safety, we need to create employment pathways for middle aged and older men returning to an increasingly technologically complex society. At the same time our educational institutions and social service providers need to develop helping professionals (social workers, psychologists, case managers) who are knowledgeable of the specific barriers to success faced by formerly incarcerated people and steer them down the road to redemption. That would be Really Smart Justice.

2.  Race: In focusing on four Michigan cities, Detroit (82.7% black), Flint (52.6% black), Pontiac (52.1% black) and Saginaw (46.1% black), the Governor is not only focusing law enforcement resources on urban areas but on predominantly African-American population centers. In Michigan, our total black population is 14.2% while 56% of the prisoners in the MDOC system are non-white (MDOC Statistical Report Updated 2/12/12; “non-white” is MDOC’s term.) The issues of race, chronic unemployment, multi-generational poverty and crime and the criminal justice system are inextricably intertwined. Until we openly acknowledge the racial dimension and perceived and real inequalities in terms of how race relates to law enforcement and incarceration, we will not be able to have a comprehensive plan nor Really Smart Justice.

 3. Respect: There was no mention in the Governor’s speech about the lack of civility and honesty in our society. The corruption in government and business fills the pages of this newspaper daily. The lack of civility in our political discourse has degenerated to its lowest levels filled with bitterness and crude language. White-collar crime, in the form of abuse of the low-income people with high rate-adjustable mortgages is another example of lack of respect. How can we have an orderly and just society when so many with money or power abuse one or both and with little apparent consequence? We need to reestablish mutual respect in our state and our society so we can aspire to live better, safer lives. Promoting honesty, integrity and civility at all levels of society is a prerequisite for Really Smart Justice.

Congratulations to Governor Snyder for his smart approach to addressing public safety issues in Michigan. Let us all aspire to making Michigan a state where redemption is possible, mutual respect is expected, and our goal is harmony, not just the absence of crime.

When I was growing up, my mom taught me how to make decisions and set priorities. Her approach was to always try to develop three good reasons to make a decision or take action. If you cannot think of three sound reasons to operate a Michigan-based business, it’s time to look for other solutions or make other choices. While there are many reasons to operate a business in Michigan, here are my top three.

1. Big Change. Change creates opportunities and rapid change fosters big opportunities. If anything is true about Michigan it is that there is a need, a mandate actually, for fundamental structural economic change. For a research business like mine, this creates endless opportunities to explore new markets, test new communication approaches and help develop new products and services. Michiganders need to think and act in new and different ways. Research helps reduce the risk of error. Some may shy away from these challenges. At Kahle Research Solutions we seek to understand the need for change and the specific strategies and action steps to take on behalf of our clients so all of us can be successful.
2. Talent and People. Michigan did not become an economic powerhouse on luck alone. Smart people who work hard, persevere and can endure and exploit economic change still live here in great numbers. We all are challenged by what to do next, but let’s remember that Michigan is still ranked in the top ten of population nationally with more people than North Carolina, New Jersey, Missouri, Washington and 42 states in all. There is power in people and in Michigan we need to harness our people power to fuel our economic resurgence. The people of our state are a very good reason to do business in Michigan.
3. Natural Resources. If you have not journeyed “Up North” in a while, you need to take a fresh look. Yes, there are many “For Sale” signs and more than a few empty storefronts. Yet they are overshadowed by the radiant sunset over Lake Michigan, a peaceful boat ride on Lake Charlevoix and a mess of fresh perch from one of the many inland lakes. The powerful natural resources of Michigan weave a glorious tapestry of opportunity. Fresh, clean water and fertile soil will long be a major source of Michigan’s economic infrastructure and future. Wind, sand and the diverse natural assets will attract tourists and businesses that flourish in the perfect environment. We need these resources to enjoy a great quality of life and develop new sources of energy and other allied businesses.

When the gloom and doom becomes oppressive — and admittedly it does get bad for many of us — let’s remember that Michigan’s need for dramatic change, its people strong in numbers and character, as well as a vast array of natural resources make Michigan a great place to live, work and own an enterprise poised for growth.

We live in a virtually 24/7 world that empowers conversations around the globe. The power of technology continues to transform research. I, like so many of my colleagues, spent 20 years traveling North America to spend long evenings as my client-voyeurs watched the action on the other side of the mirror. I know the power of face-to-face focus groups and the rich insights they provide.

Sometimes, though, it’s impossible to get all of the right people in the room – literally! And when that’s the case, computer-aided telephone focus groups provide advantages and a viable alternative method of qualitative research.

Telephone focus groups allow all participants – far and wide – to simultaneously look at images, words or video via their computers linked to the Internet. There are many good reasons why information seekers should know more about telephone focus groups, but here are my top three.

1. Geographic Diversity. Telephone Focus Groups allow for geographic diversity among the group participants. This is especially important in some business-to-business situations where participants feel more willing to share if there is not a local competitor in the same group. Other times, there may be very few potential participants who fit the target criteria – physicians who treat a rare disease, for example. Also, there are situations where targeted participants are by definition geographically distant, such as commercial farmers. In these situations the only practical way to get them talking collectively is through a telephone focus group.
2. Integrated Individual and Group Data. Telephone Focus Groups, when implemented with special software like QualMeeting from 20/20 Research, allows researchers to gather both individual-level and group data simultaneously. A series of structured survey-like questions can be asked and data gathered from each respondent. At the same time, the moderator can engage all participants in a group discussion about the topic. This provides the best of both worlds — definitive answers to closed-end questions along with ideas catalyzed by group interaction.
3. All Voices and Views. Telephone Focus Groups can significantly reduce the impact of bias by one or two outspoken participants and provide a degree of anonymity so that participants can speak more freely than they might in a face-to-face setting. By asking participants to type their initial reactions into a chat box or answer a structured question, the moderator can gather the opinions of participants uncontaminated by the other participants. The other participants also do not see negative body language. And, sometimes the best alternative is simply the mute button. Technical support can simply mute and un-mute specific lines so that the moderator can most effectively manage the conversations and allow everyone the opportunity to participate.

In this day and age of rapidly advancing technology, the computer-aided Telephone Focus Group combines some old world technology (the telephone) with high-speed Internet access to provide a now tried and true method of engaging participants in a focused discussion. At Kahle Research Solutions we have conducted hundreds of successful Telephone Focus Groups and our clients love the benefits, not to mention they do not have to travel.

Are Telephone Focus Groups right for you next project? If so, let’s connect.