.490 Repealed, 1960. She wrote board members and asked them to reconsider. Serves as a member on the State Parole Board. What she finds frustrating is that the board never asked him about any of this, she said. Please reload the page and try again. Mississippi is the most religious state in America, Johnson said. Currently, the State of Mississippi has a recidivism rate of more than 30%. "It's a full-time job," said Jim Cooper. September 29, 2022, 5:44am. In response, Belk reiterated that the Parole Board has shifted from a numbers-driven perspective and takes time to make tough decisions about parole, including for those who are gang members. The numbers surprised Pickett, who chaired the board between 2013 and 2021. The Mississippi Parole Board consists of four regular Board members and a chairman. Although the hospital settled the retirees class-action lawsuit, other lawsuits remain against the accounting firm and the retirement plan administrator. Tate Reeves' appointment of Jeffery Belk as chairman of the State Parole Board is costing the state dearly. Number of employees at Mississippi Department of Corrections, Mississippi Parole Board in year 2021 was 8. She was convicted for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana. Earlier in the afternoon, Republican Gov. A California parole board voted in 2021 to free Robert F. Kennedy's assassin, but the decision later was overturned by the governor. Frederick Bell was resentenced to life without parole when the Mississippi Supreme Court found he was mentally disabled and then life with possibility of parole. "It gives you an opportunity to help the people of Mississippi. Parole Board Member Betty Lou Jones, of Meridian, owes $47,321 for the same instances. 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. (601) 576-3528. Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. 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. Reviews recommendations proposed for inmate release, reviews files of inmates to determine eligibility for parole, and conditions for which the inmate may be released. In 2015, Belk began serving as president of the board, which tried to salvage the pension system and keep the hospital open. Frederick Bell had been set to be released at the end of September. He says board members pay attention to how many inmates receive parole, but . Tate Reeves to serve as state parole board chairman. Our clients had never been denied release once they obtained parole eligibility, he said. Oversees the review of inmates eligible for parole. See Miss. In a Nov. 7 phone interview, Stewart told the Mississippi Free Press that everyone under supervision had to pay. 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. We didnt have a lawyer.. 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. (WJTV) On Friday, Mississippi State Parole Board Chairman Steven Pickett announced his retirement from public service, effective December 31, 2021. Instead, the board wrote that it believes the ability or willingness to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen is lacking.. The tentative discharge date is the maximum discharge date, less any earned time credits the offender accrued while in custody. Answers you need. Pay Grade: MS16, Copyright Mississippi State Personnel Board - 210 East Capitol Street, Suite 800 Jackson, Mississippi 39201 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. We believe that an informed Mississippi is a better Mississippi. So that kind of makes the (prison) numbers spike up, but its public safety and thats what were all about, he said. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. This allows for a ten-day reduction in sentence for every month that an inmate participates in an educational or vocational institutional program. In signing last years law expanding parole, Reeves bragged that the change still kept habitual offenders from qualifying for parole. And with that scrutiny there tends to be less paroling., He greets those who come before the board with a certain amount of skepticism, he said. By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with Mississippi Today. 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. Are we who we say we are? 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. That was a complete disaster, a no-win situation, he said. Unfortunately, the rapidly declining parole grant rate is not only blunting the impact of the new law but also denying meaningful opportunities for release to those who were parole eligible before the new law, she said. We do not sell or share your information with anyone. I did all the procurement over the $1.4 billion expansion over the unit that basically makes the product for plastics., After Hurricane Katrina devastated Mississippis Gulf Coast in 2005, Belk said he was asked to step in as chairman of the Jackson County Civil Service Commission because there was a lot of turnover in appointed committee members because of the frustration they had in dealing with [Sheriff Mike] Byrds reluctance to following Civil Service policy & procedures.. I believe in second chances, he said. 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.. As the parole rate has fallen, the state is seeing its prison population increase. .510 Information obtained by probation or parole officer to be privileged -- Exception. 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. Go fix it.. Similar to most other Parole Boards, the Mississippi Parole Board is responsible for granting discretionary paroles to inmates convicted prior to the Truth in Sentencing law. (After this, lawmakers changed the statute so that Parole Board members could be reimbursed for commuting, just like lawmakers.). a proud member of the Tate Reeves signed legislation last year aimed at expanding parole eligibility, believing it could be a net positive for Mississippi.. Most of the correctional facilities also offer pre-release training, religious counseling or programs, adult basic education and vocational training and therapeutic recreation. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. OCCU: 9146 The state Parole Board chairman told lawmakers the board is more closely examining inmates . The report states that in 2019, the State Parole Board established hearing dates within thirty days of an offender . "It's gut-wrenching," he said. We want them to get skills and be successful.. Bell was convicted in the Circuit Court of Grenada County of capital murder and sentenced to death in 1993. The state that saw rising numbers was Alaska (3.6%). The collaborative includes the Clarion Ledger, the Jackson Advocate, Jackson State University, Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, Mississippi Public Broadcasting and Mississippi Today. Jerry Mitchell/MCIR. The Parole Board's functions and duties are set out in Section 239 of Schedule 19 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 ('the Act'). The state boasted one of the nations highest incarceration rates, putting more people per capita behind bars than China, North Korea or Russia. My thirty years of public service in law enforcement, with the courts, and on the parole board have provided me the opportunity to make a difference in many peoples lives, Pickett said in a letter. On direct appeal, the Mississippi Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and sentence. If this current trend continues, that number would top 23,000 next year. 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. Actions, however, speak louder than words, he said. Code Ann. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). The Board reviews and . You have to credit Mississippi Today. Now the board is rejecting far more requests. Prepares responses to inquiries for inmate release and may interview inmates to make recommendations. In so doing, the Parole Board has essentially shut down parole in the state, said Brandon Jones with the Southern Poverty Law Centers Action Fund. When Gov. After reading the reports, Belk said he met with White and watchdog officials to get the rest of the story.. Thats in contrast to more than three-fourths of the remaining states, which received flunking grades. The Board of Parole consists of 14 members. by Trone Dowd. Frederick Bell was convicted of capital murder for the May 1991 shooting of death 21-year-old Robert "Bert" Bell (no relation) during a store robbery in Grenada County. When writing the law, Belk said legislators had faith that the Parole Board would review and determine who would receive parole and who wouldnt. Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. Byrd died of COVID in November 2020 on his 71st birthday. Title IX, 50 years later: The 37 words that changed our sports world, Another lawsuit filed over Jackson water crisis, Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. In just three months, the prison population has shot past 17,100. 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. The parolee must be in compliance with the terms of his or her current parole. Pay Grade: MS05. In the past, the board may have rejected advice by parole officers on revocation, but now were more in tune to support them, he said. We are poor. Both White and PEER criticized the travel expenses of Parole Board member Betty Lou Jones, who received more than $20,000 in travel reimbursements. This is managerial type of work responsible for a division or a team of supervisors and subordinates in a correctional facility or as part of statewide parole program involving the compilation and computation of parole information on inmates. 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. In Mississippi, provisions relating to pardon and parole are provided under Miss. As with offenders who are sentenced to determinate sentences, some restrictions still apply. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree or a high school diploma and 4 years of work experience. While parole hearings have decreased, Belk said there has been a related wave of hearings to determine whether someone should have their parole revoked. Were honestly compassionate. Please be aware that GovernmentRegistry.org is not a Consumer Reporting Agency as defined by Fair Credit Reporting Act. TD. That means 392 inmates like Tameka Drummer will continue serving their life without parole sentences. In the years since, reforms and an aggressive Parole Board, headed by a veteran law enforcement officer, reduced the number of inmates to the lowest level in two decades. By November 2021, the parole grant rate reached a high of 93% and the board held over 1,000 parole hearings, according to numbers from the Mississippi Department of Corrections obtained by Mississippi Today. 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. The Mississippi State Parole Board has the exclusive responsibility to grant, refuse or revoke parole. Read the code on FindLaw . One year after a law expanded parole eligibility to more people incarcerated in Mississippi prisons, the states parole grant rate has declined by more than a third, a sign criminal justice reform advocates say shows the law isnt being fully implemented. He said the board is aware that since hes become chairman, the parole grant rate has fallen. Unlike the past, where the board set off the next parole hearings for six months or a year, the current board is often setting off these hearings for two years and sometimes as much as eight years. Typically requires a High School Diploma and 0-4 years of related experience. 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. File photo. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree and 2-4 years of related experience. Most people couldnt afford it, he said. FWD.us, a criminal justice and immigration reform group, supported SB 2795. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using. JACKSON, Miss. In March, three out of every four inmates who appeared before the Parole Board were rejected for parole. His new parole chairman is Jeffery Belk, who retired from Chevron as a project procurement manager. Pickett has spent 30 years in government work, including nine years on the five-member Parole Board. 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.. I worked for 24 years at Chevron as a project procurement manager, he said. Mississippi is paroling fewer inmates now than it did before expanding parole eligibility in 2021. In September 2013, Mississippi had as many as 22,490 inmates behind bars. The five members of Mississippi's Parole . Before joining Mississippi Today, she was a reporter for the Clarion Ledger and newspapers in Massachusetts. An inmate's maximum discharge date is defined as the date in which an offender will have served the entire length of his indeterminate sentence. 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. OCCU: 9141 The Mississippi Parole Board responds to a state legislative watchdog report that cites issues members need to correct such as working full time. Ive seen folks with money get off for way more. Having a skill upon release, in theory, helps the offender to successfully integrate into the community and will reduce recidivism rates. The Parole Board will take into consideration the inmate's criminal history including number of offenses and prior convictions, the nature of the actual crime and its severity, psychological or psychiatric history, conduct during incarceration, the amount of time served, history of drug or alcohol abuse, history of violence, attempts at escape, employment or residency arrangements, military history, and the views of the community on the inmate's release. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree and 0-3 years of related experience. I asked myself, What would I do for my child?. Facebook. Sen. Angela Burks Hill, R-Picayune, had questioned whether the Parole Board followed state law, which says notification must go in a newspaper published or circulated in the county where the crime was committed. Any member of the board must possess at least a bachelor's degree or a high school diploma and four years' work experience.
