Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, and the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act was drafted by lawmakers to reduce the prison population.
Mississippi has passed several criminal justice reform bills over the past 10 years, and the state's prison population has decreased by more than 4000 inmates saving the state millions. 15th District Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell says this parole eligibility expansion should do the same.
“Plus it doesn’t cost so darn much. When you multiply podium, how much we’re paying, it was a boatload of money,” says Judge Harrell. “And as I said, when these people have gotten out for non-violence, the crime rates have risen. While we’ve reduced it from 24,000 incarcerated to 17 thousand and crime hasn’t gone up, that’s a valid statistic.”
Criminal justice reform advocates say they are excited about this law that will have lasting effects for thousands of incarcerated Mississippians. Alesha Judkins is Mississippi Director of Criminal Justice Reform with FWD.US. She says this will also help reconnect families who were separated as a result of long prison sentences from non-violent charges.
“What this is going to do is give a renewed sense of hope to people serving time, serving these decades-long sentences,” says Judkins. “It’s going to give them a renewed sense of hope that they will get a second chance or another chance to be reunited with their families, their communities, and to get a new lease on life.”
Experts say today is the first-day inmates could be notified if they qualify for earned parole, however it could take months before some finish hearings and are released.
