Criminal justice reforms would boost the Mississippi state economy and reduce crime, a bipartisan political organization named FWD.us found.
Mississippi has the nation’s highest incarceration rate — 575 people of every 100,000 — with 19,500 currently in prison, the Magnolia Tribune reported June 26, 2023. The state’s current prison population is 59% Black, 39% White, and 1% Hispanic.
“If incarceration were the answer to improving safety, Mississippi would be the safest place in the world,” said Wil Ervin, senior vice president of Empower Mississippi.
The story reported that 29% of Mississippi’s adult population — 660,000 people — have criminal convictions. Ervin noted that more than 90% of those incarcerated will ultimately be released, and stressed the need to prepare them for a successful return to society.
Bradley Lum, deputy commissioner of Workforce Development for MDOC, called for expanding employment opportunities and advancing “commonsense policies” to currently and formerly incarcerated people. Beyond strengthening the economy, Lum said these policies could “help reduce recidivism by ensuring our neighbors can contribute to their communities and take care of their families.”
According to the Tribune, Mississippi residents with criminal records are collectively losing $2.7 billion every year due to reduced earnings related to their time in the carceral system. Were that money instead spent on taxable goods like food, clothing, and transportation, Mississippi would have an additional $95 million in annual tax revenue.
In contrast, Mississippi taxpayers are paying $21,600 for each incarcerated person at a total of $400 million a year to run the state prison, the Tribune reported. The MDOC appropriation for 2024 is $434 million, an 11% increase from 2023.
Having the highest incarceration rate and lowest labor participation are not sustainable, the report stated. Reducing the rate of incarceration and implementing criminal justice reforms would both positively impact the state economy and increase public safety.
