State of Mississippi Parole Board 660 North Street Suite 100A Jackson, MS 39202 Phone: (601) 576-3520 Fax: (601) 576-3528 For questions and information about parole matters, contact send email to [email protected] Parole Board Members Jackson Parole Staff Jackson main number-601-576-3520 Jackson fax number-601-576-3528 Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. The earned release supervision date is the date that includes all earned time, as well as the 15% good behavior allowance. With your help, we've gotten a lot done but we're not finished yet! Were honestly compassionate. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree and 4-6 years of work experience. .500 Prohibited activities of probation and parole officers. (601) 576-3528. That caused some of the delays, he said. Pay Grade: MS02. He compared the program to a top-of-the-line rehabilitation program offered by places like the Betty Ford Center. PEER criticized the board for failing to maintain minutes documenting parole decisions. Any member of the board must possess at least a bachelor's degree or a high school diploma and four years' work experience. During his time, about six of every 10 inmates who appeared before the Parole Board earned their release, he said. Entry level professional work involving the compilation and computation of parole information on inmates. Serves as Chairman of the State Parole Board. Tate Reeves to ask that Frederick Bells parole be denied. He said he often gets emails from family members of incarcerated people asking why they havent been released. The state that saw rising numbers was Alaska (3.6%). Our DIY expert, Beth Allen, founder of HIP Chicks (Home Improvement Project Chicks), knows which tools you need to take on big projects by yourself. Nine out of 10 cases before the Parole Board are nonviolent and have no registered victim, he said. People who have reached the age of 60 and served at least 10 years of their sentence for a parole-eligible crime can also receive it. Pay Grade: MS10. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. Copyright 2023 GovernmentRegistry.org All Rights Reserved. Help keep the momentum going by rejoining our member community today. There are eight distinctly different categories in which a. What she finds frustrating is that the board never asked him about any of this, she said. We prefer Author Name, Mississippi Today in the byline. But with Reeves new board chairman, a former Chevron executive he appointed in January, in charge, that trend has reversed itself. Mississippi legislators will decide next year whether to keep the state Parole Board as a separate entity or transfer the board's functions to the Department of. While parole hearings have decreased, Belk said there has been a related wave of hearings to determine whether someone should have their parole revoked. An affirmative vote of at least four (4) members of the Parole Board shall be required to grant parole to an inmate convicted of capital murder or a sex crime. You cant edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. OCCU: 9140 Under SB 2795, a parole hearing date shall be set when a person is within 30 days of their parole eligibility date. OCCU: 9146 If a parolee wants to obtain parole or transfer to another state, he or she must meet some basic requirements. Her reply? In signing last years law expanding parole, Reeves bragged that the change still kept habitual offenders from qualifying for parole. On April 1, 22 inmates graduated from the program, and a second class is now under way, said corrections spokesperson Grace Simmons. Were just poor. Despite it being his first felony, he never had the option of drug court, she said. We didnt have a lawyer.. 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.. But under Belks leadership, that trend has reversed itself. On Aug. 17, Mississippis prison population hit a high of 18,200. JACKSON, Miss. Typically requires a Bachelors Degree or a high school diploma and 4 years of work experience. Mississippi Authority for Educational Television d/b/a Mississippi Public Broadcasting - All Rights Reserved. He has never had the community support he does now. The Mississippi legislature is currently considering several bills aimed at reforming the state's criminal justice system, including bills expanding parole eligibility.A new report indicates that these measures could have huge financial impacts on the state's budget, saving taxpayers millions of dollars per year.. Tate Reeves' appointment of Jeffery Belk as chairman of the State Parole Board is costing the state dearly. Bell remains at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, according to prison records. 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. (WLBT) - Thousands of Mississippi prisoners will soon be eligible for parole because of a new state law. .510 Information obtained by probation or parole officer to be privileged -- Exception. It all seems so unreal and unfair. 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. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Offenders who committed crimes prior to July 1, 1995 are generally eligible for Mississippi parole after serving 25% of their sentences. JACKSON, Miss. Parole provides incarcerated people the opportunity to make the case for their release at a hearing before the Parole Board after serving a portion of their sentence in prison. Life sentences after 1995 and all sex crimes are not eligible for parole." Mississippi Gov. You can imagine the degree of despair. The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility has a print shop and also makes furniture. I worked for 24 years at Chevron as a project procurement manager, he said. When she appeared before the Parole Board, he asked her what she had shoplifted. Gene Bell, Berts younger brother, told Mississippi Today that Frederick Bell wont be reconsidered for parole for two years. With the exception of Jones, all have joined the board within the past year. Parole Board members say the biggest misconception is that prisoners will be . Make a Tax Payment. In a Nov. 7 phone interview, Stewart told the Mississippi Free Press that everyone under supervision had to pay. 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. By using the services offered through GovernemtRegistry.org you agree to comply with all of the conditions as explained in our terms and privacy disclosure. The five members of the state Parole Board are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. Parole Board Member Betty Lou Jones, of Meridian, owes $47,321 for the same instances. Maintains a central registry of paroled inmates. Since March, the board has paroled 29% of those considered with the number of hearings falling to 633 in July. Show your support>>. Code Section 47-7-5 (2) Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. Now the board is rejecting far more requests. We believe that an informed Mississippi is a better Mississippi. He began serving on the board November 10, 2012, after former Governor Phil Bryant appointed him and became chairman a year later. That fall mirrored the nation, which saw the prison population decline more than 16% in all states but one between 2019 and 2021. It is dedicated to the process of promoting public safety. Although the hospital settled the retirees class-action lawsuit, other lawsuits remain against the accounting firm and the retirement plan administrator. 0:57. An acceptable score on the COMPASS, ASSET, SAT, ACT, or CPE test. And the [victims] families were having to relive this every six months.. Judgement: The Parole Board members, Lucy Gampell (left), Noreen Shami And Robert Mckeon (right) are featured in the BBC documentary. Mississippi Title 47. OCCU: 9145 Please be aware that GovernmentRegistry.org is not a Consumer Reporting Agency as defined by Fair Credit Reporting Act. Keep this news free and accessible to all by becoming a member and giving a recurring donation of any amount today. Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. PEER accused board members of failing to work as full-time employees an accusation Pickett denies. | 2022. We're dedicated to keeping Mississippians informed with our thorough reporting. Any amount helps us keep producing quality journalism for Mississippi. If youre not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: This story was originally published by Mississippi Today and include our website, You cannot republish our editorial cartoons, photographs, illustrations or graphics without specific permission (contact our managing editor. 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. As a result, about 5,700 additional people are expected to become parole eligible within the next five years, according to an estimate in the Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Forces January report. 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." September 29, 2022, 5:44am. With the exception of Jones, all have joined the board within the past year. The programs vary by correctional facility. 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. Senate Corrections Committee Chairman Juan Barnett, D-Heidelberg, said he has been hearing from constituents about the increase in parole rejections. Those who committed a violent crime must serve half their sentence or 20 years, and people convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon, a drive-by shooting or carjacking must serve 60% of their sentence or 25 years. Photo courtesy Marlow Stewart. 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.. Doctors prescribe Ozempic off label: Is that OK? The five members of Mississippi's Parole . Each member is appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate for a six-year term. When Gov. See Miss. .540 Powers of department. Gov. Read the code on FindLaw . Shelby Wilson, 27, went to prison on his first offense for selling prescription drugs rather than being referred to drug court. Pay Grade: MS05. Having a parole hearing every six months for someone who wasnt interested in improving themselves gave false hope to those inmates, Belk said. Having a board with diverse backgrounds allows myself and others to bring a unique prospective to the table when making tough decisions.. 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.. We prefer Author Name, Mississippi Today in the byline. Everybody that comes before you is no longer addicted to drugs and theyve found Jesus.. The Mississippi State Parole Board has the exclusive responsibility to grant, refuse or revoke parole. Capital offenses, murder, drug trafficking, sex crimes and being a habitual offender are among the crimes in the state that are not eligible for parole. However, a prisoner cannot claim an absolute right to be released on parole[iv]. People are getting no benefit from doing the right thing, he said. Some people have broken into houses with guns and had all their charges dropped. The Mississippi Parole Board responds to a state legislative watchdog report that cites issues members need to correct such as working full time. Code Section 47-7-5 (2) OCCU: 9146 Pay Grade: MS15 Parole Board Chairman Serves as Chairman of the State Parole Board. . Inside Mississippis prisons, three-fourths of inmates are battling alcohol or drug problems or both. She wrote board members and asked them to reconsider. I would rather have the numbers be true and accurate and go back and look at them then just we did whatever we did to get the numbers down mentality, he said during an interview with Missisisppi Today. Go fix it.. Board members responded that they had a secretary and that their daily action sheets served in place of such minutes a practice they said had been in effect for decades. Pay Grade: MS15. Belk said he is looking forward to continuing to serve Mississippians in his new role. 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. If this current trend continues, that number would top 23,000 next year. 21 Years of Age. 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.. Some inmates in need of minimal supervision are released to community restitution centers where they are referred to as residents. "It gives you an opportunity to help the people of Mississippi. Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, If we dont believe in grace and second chances, then we need to take In God We Trust off our flag., News, Mississippi News, Public Health, mental health, Coronavirus Pandemic, Julie Whitehead, covid-19, Dillion Swindle, work from home, suicide, Joe Turner, pandemic, mental health, fragile society, substance abuse, stress, anxiety, depression, previous health conditions, dread, pandemic life changes, can't control, News, Mississippi Spotlight, Mississippi News, Tainted, Tap water, Mississippi Spotlight, Water pipes, South Jackson, Mayor Lumumba, J.H. Pickett has spent 30 years Instead, he said, the prison population is back on the rise, just as it was before reforms in 2014, when the erratic parole rate caused the prison population to skyrocket. Brair Parker Ballou/MCIR, Gov. Typically requires a Bachelor's Degree or a high school diploma and 4 years of work experience. 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. A revocation may happen if a person commits a new crime or fails to report to a parole officer for a certain period of time. Belk said the numbers dont dictate decisions, and the board looks at a range of available information to decide whether to grant parole. Petitioning the parole board each time Lisa comes up for early release takes its toll, Jeff said. 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. We talked to BestReviews nutrition expert, Molly Bremer, about her favorite whole grains and how to use them. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. Lucy and Noreen are in charge of making the decision about Coombs. Both White and PEER criticized the travel expenses of Parole Board member Betty Lou Jones, who received more than $20,000 in travel reimbursements. If an offender wishes to travel to another state without moving to it permanently, he or she must seek the permission of his or her corrections agent prior to leaving the state. 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 Board of Parole consists of 14 members. Stewart will replace Nehemiah Flowers, who recently announced his retirement effective October 31, 2021. 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