State Penitentiary at Parchman; phasedown operation over four-year period.
This legislation is expected to generate significant changes within the state's corrections infrastructure by decentralizing operations from the aging Parchman facility. Changes include the establishment of a mental health treatment facility for inmates experiencing mental health issues within the correctional system. Additionally, the bill aims to create a 'Correctional Infrastructure and Inmate Housing Fund' to support broader improvements in the state’s correctional systems and potentially redirect savings from consolidation toward better wages for correctional officers to mitigate turnover issues. Thus, the bill can significantly impact correctional officer staffing and inmate management across facilities in Mississippi.
Senate Bill 2353 proposes the phasedown of the State Penitentiary at Parchman, Mississippi, over a four-year period starting from July 1, 2024. The bill mandates the transfer of inmates, employees, and programs from Parchman to other state and regional facilities operated by the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). As part of this measure, the Commissioner of Corrections is tasked with developing a comprehensive plan for the phasedown and is authorized to negotiate operational arrangements with the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, which will be renamed 'Northwest Mississippi Correctional Facility'.
While supporters argue that the bill is a necessary step towards reforming an outdated and overcrowded prison system, opponents voice concerns about potential oversights regarding inmate care during the transfer process. Critics also point to the challenges faced with the mental health treatment provisions, fearing that insufficient resources may be allocated to support the necessary care for inmates with mental health issues. Legislators may need to address these points through careful oversight and adequate funding to ensure that the transition does not negatively impact inmate welfare.