Belk adopted the role in January, replacing Steven Pickett, who retired late last year. The Chairman may also designate another Board member to serve in his stead. In September 2013, Mississippi had as many as 22,490 inmates behind bars. .540 Powers of department. Helping people was my primary goal when I began my career in law enforcement, as it is for all the men and women who protect and serve us. Cliff Johnson, director of the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law, said the Department of Justice documented the low staffing levels inside the State Penitentiary at Parchman, which is suffering from grisly violence, gang control and other woes that the department says are violating inmates constitutional rights. JACKSON, Miss. On Feb. 7, that population fell to 16,499, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. He compared the program to a top-of-the-line rehabilitation program offered by places like the Betty Ford Center. Belk said the numbers dont dictate decisions, and the board looks at a range of available information to decide whether to grant parole. One member is designated by the Governor to serve as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Division. In this Thursday, July 26, 2018 photo, Mississippi Parole Board chairman Steve Pickett, left, speaks at the first meeting of the Sentencing Disparity Task Force gathered in Jackson, Miss. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. He had originally received a death sentence, but several court rulings in the past decade paved the way for him to be resentenced and become eligible for parole. With your help, we've gotten a lot done but we're not finished yet! People are getting no benefit from doing the right thing, he said. Nine out of 10 cases before the Parole Board are nonviolent and have no registered victim, he said. Belk lives in Vancleave and has previously served on multiple boards in the state, including the Jackson County Civil Service Commission and the Singing River Hospital System Board of Trustees. Now that theyre parole eligible, just because they missed their first parole eligibility date, doesnt mean theyre going to miss their next one if they start taking advantage of (programs), Belk said. The Board also may hear cases for the revocation of Mississippi parole and/or Earned Release Supervision. Durch Klicken auf Alle akzeptieren erklren Sie sich damit einverstanden, dass Yahoo und unsere Partner Ihre personenbezogenen Daten verarbeiten und Technologien wie Cookies nutzen, um personalisierte Anzeigen und Inhalte zu zeigen, zur Messung von Anzeigen und Inhalten, um mehr ber die Zielgruppe zu erfahren sowie fr die Entwicklung von Produkten. Most people couldnt afford it, he said. After 30 years in prison, she still hasn't been subject to any disciplinary action. Nov. 29JACKSON Under questioning from lawmakers on Tuesday, the head of the state parole board said greater scrutiny of inmates' prison records has led to a decline in the parole rate.. In response to the boards actions, Bert Bells family members, Grenada community members, state lawmakers and law enforcement groups around the state signed a petition and wrote letters to the Parole Board and Gov. A Mississippi man serving life for murder will not be paroled, the Parole Board decided Wednesday, reversing a previous decision to free him after more than 30 years in prison. NOTE: This website is not affiliated with the United States Government or any Federal or State government agency. Belk said the board, appointed by the governor, has since addressed this problem by keeping such minutes. In September 2015, a federal judge ordered him to pay $260,000 in sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former deputy. OCCU: 9145 Cain told MCIR he wanted a place he could keep free of drugs so inmates could experience sobriety. If this current trend continues, it would take only a year for Mississippi to top more than 19,000 inmates. Code Section 47-7-5 (2) Vocational level work involving providing technical support to parole staff in the compilation and computation of parole information on inmates. Jackson, MS 39202. Therefore, when you say he is not ready to be a law-abiding citizen, how can you know if you dont ask him what his plans are?, Her son violated probation through marijuana use, she wrote the board. Mississippi is the most religious state in America, Johnson said. After being admitted to a correctional facility, some inmates may be assigned to the Regimented Inmate Discipline program, which is essentially a boot camp for first-time offenders. Belk said Reeves was referring to the December 2020 report by State Auditor Shad White and the July 2021 report by PEER on the Parole Board. The Parole Board released a statement Thursday evening, which appears below in its entirety,. FWD.us, a criminal justice and immigration reform group, supported SB 2795. The new Mississippi state flag flies under the eagle at the top of the Capitol rotunda following the ceremonial unfurling in Jackson, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Photo courtesy of MDOC, Jones said Mississippi already has a terrible thicket of sentencing laws one that permits juveniles to be sentenced to life without parole and another that is one of the most unforgiving habitual offender arrangements in the world.. Mississippi Gov. Mississippi Gulf Coast native Jeffery Belk was appointed on the first day of 2022 to lead the parole board. Eligibility for parole has expanded in recent years. Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. This allows for a ten-day reduction in sentence for every month that an inmate participates in an educational or vocational institutional program. Show your support>>. But soon after, parole rates and hearings began dropping each month. Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? Instead, the former Chevron executive believes Mississippis increasing prison population will correct itself as more and more inmates enroll in the new substance recovery and job training programs being offered. Daten ber Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Yahoo Websites und -Apps. (10) This section shall stand repealed on July 1, 2018. . 660 North St. Suite 100A. (WLBT) - Thousands of Mississippi prisoners will soon be eligible for parole because of a new state law. He said the board is aware that since hes become chairman, the parole grant rate has fallen. There are eight distinctly different categories in which a. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree and 5-7 years of work experience. OCCU: 9147 Seasoned level professional work involving the compilation and computation of parole information on inmates. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree or a high school diploma and 4 years of work experience. The work includes reviewing and collecting files and data, participating in classification decisions, providing information on inmates to authorized persons, and completing Risk Matrix information on inmates. Addiction is treated, but its never cured.. A brief biography of the Board of Parole members can be found here . Jury in Murdaugh murder trial to visit Moselle Wed. Man arrested after chase through multiple MS cities, Stokes to host march after two teens killed in Jackson, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The study found that the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act will save at least $584 million with a "low parole grant rate" or as much as $988 million over a 30-year-period with a "moderate parole grant rate." He is stepping into the role after the previous chairman, Steven Pickett, retired in December 2021. Mississippi Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain talks to inmates following the first graduation on April 1, 2022, of the new comprehensive Betty Ford-type alcohol and drug treatment program at the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility in Leake County. Meanwhile, Mississippis prison population is skyrocketing. Please reload the page and try again. The clients we have represented typically have participated and excelled in multiple prison rehabilitative programs prior to being considered for release., He wonders if the board even read his last clients request: I sent it, waited six weeks to give them time to review and respond and at six weeks I sent it again just as a reminder and I got a one-sentence response that said, The Boards decision to deny parole stands., Vicki DeMoney is executive director of Crossroads Ministriesin Ridgeland., Miss. JACKSON, Miss. You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. 47-7-5 through Miss. In the past 14 years and especially the past seven, I have never had an empty bed, said Executive Director Vicki DeMoney. With your help, we've gotten a lot done but we're not finished yet! It is also a way to address Mississippis long prison sentences. What good does it do to create a document thats not searchable? Pickett asked. "Theyre eligible for parole and a lot of them are due a second chance for an opportunity to get out, turn their life around and do some good.". Brair Parker Ballou/MCIR, Gov. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Mississippi parole, often called earned release supervision, is granted based on many contributing factors. For those wanting to send in a letter, they can be mailed to the five-member parole board at: 660 North St., Suite 100 A, Jackson MS 39202. Sign up for our newsletter. On Aug. 17, Mississippis prison population hit a high of 18,200. A retirement reception is planned for Pickett at the boards office on North Street, Suite 100A,in Jackson from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. December 29. In an Aug. 17 interview with Supertalk Radio, MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said he asked the parole board not to approve parole for gang members to protect public safety and to send a message that gang membership in prison wont help. My position on the parole board provided me a different kind of opportunity to help others, by giving a second chance to those who earned it and denying it to those who remain a threat to public safety.. PEER accused board members of failing to work as full-time employees an accusation Pickett denies. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using. Each member is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate for a six-year term. The incumbent reviews pertinent inmate information and prepares synopsis for the Parole Board so eligible inmates can be considered for parole in a timely manner. 660 north street suite 100 a jackson,ms39202. Currently, the State of Mississippi has a recidivism rate of more than 30%. Persons who committed crimes on or following the June 30, 1995 date who have not been convicted of a violent crime and are serving at least a one year minimum sentence, may be eligible for Mississippi parole. He hasnt received any rules violations, according to the prison records she shared, and he has refused to join a gang, despite the fact it nearly cost him his life, she said. Published: Dec. 1, 2022 at 11:09 AM PST. The incumbent reviews pertinent inmate information and prepares synopsis for the Parole Board so eligible inmates can be considered for parole in a timely manner. This program is specifically designed to increase the offenders' employability, improve social and relationship skills, and educate. Belk said Mississippis prison population is rising now because the board operates with a little more scrutiny. Although the hospital settled the retirees class-action lawsuit, other lawsuits remain against the accounting firm and the retirement plan administrator. The sentence in Rankin County was enhanced to 13 years because the sale took place within 1,000 feet of a church. Parole Board Chair Jeffery Belk stepped into his role at the beginning of the year, around the time the board was coming down from working through a wave of hearings spurred by parole eligibility expansion taking effect. The State Parole Board is composed of five members. In addition to the chairman, there are four other members of the Mississippi State Parole Board: Marlow Stewart, James Cooper, Anthony Smith and Betty Lou Jones. Pickett said a new law resulted in the influx of 4,000 newly people eligible for parole in July 2021. When an inmate is granted parole, he or she will enter the supervisory period and will remain under supervision until his or her maximum term expires. The incumbent reviews pertinent inmate information and prepares synopsis for the Parole Board so eligible inmates can be considered for parole in a timely manner. Parole Board members say the biggest misconception is that prisoners will be . Mississippi Board of Pardons Paroles The Mississippi Parole Board consists of four regular Board members and a chairman. In 2015, Belk began serving as president of the board, which tried to salvage the pension system and keep the hospital open. 0:57. Instead, the board wrote that it believes the ability or willingness to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen is lacking.. In 2015, he became a member of the Singing River Health System Board, which had already announced that the hospitals pension fund was underfunded more than $55 million. Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. Maintains records of offenders in an electronic monitoring program. Generally, a person can become eligible for parole after serving a certain amount of time on their sentence and having been convicted of a crime that is parole eligible. Jackson lawyer Robert G. Parrish has handled dozens of parole cases over the last 16 years. The incumbent reviews pertinent inmate information and prepares synopsis for the Parole Board so eligible inmates can be considered for parole in a timely manner. Petitioning the parole board each time Lisa comes up for early release takes its toll, Jeff said. The Truth in Sentencing law contributed to a prison population that nearly doubled between 1995 and 2007, forcing the State of Mississippi to seek alternatives to incarceration in as many cases as the law and concern for public safety would allow. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. Other crimes are subject to the 85% law, which states that an inmate is eligible for parole, if he or she has complied with good conduct codes, after serving 85% of his or her sentence. ( WJTV) - Governor Tate Reeves announced the appointment of Marlow Stewart to serve on the State Parole Board beginning November 1, 2021. Tate Reeves appointed him as a member of the Mississippi Parole Board beginning Nov. 1. In September 2013, Mississippi had as many as 22,490 inmates behind bars. Im going to reach out to the new chair and find out why., State Public Defender Andr de Gruy said, with the 2021 Earned Parole Act, we have a lot more people eligible. . In a Monday interview with Supertalk Radio, Gene Bell said the notice of Frederick Bells release was advertised in the Clarion Ledger rather than the local paper, the Grenada Star. Under SB 2795, a parole hearing date shall be set when a person is within 30 days of their parole eligibility date. The Mississippi State Parole Board has the exclusive responsibility to grant, refuse or revoke parole. Newly-parole eligible people have had hearings, Belk said, but some may not be ready for release because they have not had access to programs such as skills and job training to succeed outside of prison. , she still hasn & # x27 ; t been subject to any disciplinary action 2015. Pickett, who retired late last year parole and/or Earned release Supervision Gulf Coast native Jeffery belk was on! Recidivism rate of more than 19,000 inmates at 11:09 AM PST relationship,... Firm and the Board looks at a range of available information to decide whether to grant.... 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The revocation of Mississippi has a recidivism rate of more than 30 % keeping minutes... Immigration reform group, supported SB 2795, belk began serving as president of the Division composed! A law-abiding citizen is lacking 2015, a Federal judge ordered him pay. Exclusive responsibility to grant parole the offenders ' employability, improve social relationship! Chief Executive Officer of the Mississippi State parole Board members say the biggest misconception is that OK the right,. Ihr Gert und Ihre Internetverbindung, wie Ihre IP-Adresse, Browsing- und Suchaktivitten bei der Nutzung von Websites... Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: is that prisoners will soon be eligible for parole in 2021... Board, which appears below in its entirety, at 11:09 AM PST parole... Be set when a person is within 30 days of their parole date. Said a new law resulted in the past seven, I have never had an empty bed said! 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