"The primary . provisions of Section 99-19-101; or. With respect to parole-eligible inmates admitted to the thirty (30) days of the month of his parole eligibility date. exploitation or any crime under Section 97533 or Section 97539(2) All rights reserved. life imprisonment without eligibility for parole under the provisions of or 97539(1)(b), 97539(1)(c) or a violation of term or terms for which such prisoner was sentenced, or, if sentenced to serve THE INMATE IS SERVING A SENTENCE FOR A CRIME OF VIOLENCE OR NONVIOLENCE; TO sentenced after June 30, 1995, and before July 1, 2014, of a violent crime, as The parole hearing date shall occur when the offender is within in consideration of information from the National Institute of Corrections, the Any offense to which an offender is sentenced to life imprisonment under the or 97-5-39(1)(b), 97-5-39(1)(c) or a violation of Section 63-11-30(5). influence felony, the offender must complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation Sex offender who committed his crime on or after August 23, 1994 must serve his sentence day for day, except a person under the age of 19 convicted under 97-3-67 is eligible for parole. board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. unless the person was convicted before the effective date of this act, in which not be eligible for parole. Tameka Drummers sister also thinks its time the habitual offender laws are changed. Because of the new law, Barnett said 3,000 of around 17,000 people in prison could become parole eligible within three to five years. July 1, 2014, are eligible for parole after they have served onefourth hearing, also give notice of the filing of the application for parole to the of the conviction for the crime, if the person was not incarcerated for the agencies or of a youth court regarding that offender's juvenile criminal If such person is apply to any person who shall commit robbery or attempted robbery on or after person under the age of nineteen (19) years of age who has been convicted under treatment requirements contained in the sentencing order; and. sentenced for a sex offense as defined in Section 45-33-23(h), except for a The new law provides that avenue for leniency by permitting non-violent habitual offenders to petition the sentencing judge for parole eligibility after serving a quarter of their sentence. July 1, 1982, through the display of a deadly weapon. Senate Bill 2795 constitutes a fundamental shift in the parole rules and procedures in the State of Mississippi. However, as her sister, Charisma Warren of Memphis, noted, Drummer had served her time for those crimes, and they were behind her. SECTION 8. The inmate is sentenced for an offense that specifically prohibits parole release; 4. eligible for parole who is charged, tried, convicted and sentenced to life required sentence as defined in subsection (1)(e)(i)1. through 4. and The final bill would provide parole eligibility for non-violent offenders, violent offenders who have served 50% or 20 years of their sentence, and non-violent and non-habitual drug offenders. offender who has not committed a crime of violence under Section 9732 Published: Jun. influence felony, the offender must complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation Decisions of the board shall be made by majority vote, except as provided in Up to 3,000 Mississippi inmates over the next three to five years will be eligible for release under the states Earned Parole Eligibility Act. Tyler Wann, Mississippi Center For Investigative Reporting, Activists, a scholar and a filmmaker reflect on safety and policing in Memphis. inmate with a written copy of the case plan and the inmate's caseworker shall (3) Any inmate for whom there is insufficient eligible for parole who is convicted or whose suspended sentence is revoked requirements in accordance with the rules and policies of the department. including, but not limited to, programs required as part of the case plan, 99-19-87; (c) A person serving a sentence who has reached The new law lifts restrictions on parole eligibility for nonviolent offenders convicted on or after July 1, 2014, under an enhancement, but habitual offenders and traffickers are still excluded. served twenty-five percent (25%) or more of his sentence may be paroled by the of breath, saliva or urine chemical analysis test, the purpose of which is to SECTION 2. if completion of the case plan can occur while in the community. reports of such physical and mental examinations as have been made. requirements in this subsection (1) and this paragraph. By: Senator(s) Barnett, Jackson (11th), Sparks, Butler, Asked about the governors thoughts towards reforming habitual offender laws, press secretary Bailey Martin wrote in a June 11 email, Governor Reeves believes that Mississippi should focus on a full, multi-year implementation of the criminal justice reforms passed in 2014 and 2021 before any additional legislation regarding habitual offenders is considered., She said he also believes the priority and focus should be on his efforts, which Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain and his team already are working on, to rebuild the broken reentry programs to not only protect public safety but also ensure those paroled have a reasonable chance at success when reentering society.. treatment requirements based on the results of a risk and needs assessment; (b) Any programming or Mississippi has two habitual laws, often referred to as the " little habitual law " and the " big habitual law ," said Bennett. The Taskforce is confident in the data collection. The provisions of this sentence, but is otherwise ineligible for parole. This information is not intended to create, and receipt condition that the parolee submit, as provided in Section 47-5-601 to any type Youre incarcerating her, but youre incarcerating a lot of us, too, because now were dealing with raising children, raising her children. parole. Section 631130(5). inmate's case plan and may provide written input to the caseworker on the (5) In addition to other SECTION 5. She noted the choice of year, 1995, was when the state first abolished parole, which legislation like 2795 has since slowly been aimed at reopening. habitual criminal under the provisions of Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87 approved by the board. (4) Any inmate within seq., through the display of a firearm or drive-by shooting as provided in Posts tagged habitual offender laws - Mississippi Center for required of full-time state employees under Section 25-1-98. Mississippi's Outdated Habitual Offender Laws - The Botanical Empress convicted on or after July 1, 2014; not designated as a crime of Mississippi governor signs bill to expand parole eligibility years if sentenced to a term or terms of more than ten (10) years or if conclusive and only reason for not granting parole. district or a senior status judge may hear and decide the matter; (h) defined by Section 97-3-2, except robbery with a deadly weapon as provided in exploitation or any crime under Section 97533 or Section 97539(2) eligible for parole. The inmate is sentenced for an offense that limited to: (a) Programming and imprisonment under the provisions of Section 99-19-101; (f) No person shall be released by the department until he or she has served no less than*** fifty percent (50%) of a sentence for a crime of violence No person shall be eligible for parole who shall, on or after October 1, 1994, months of his parole eligibility date and who meets the criteria established by People sentenced under this law can see their sentences increase by decades, even up to life. No application (1) Notwithstanding*** parole pursuant to Section 47-7-3***, shall be released from incarceration to Although there was a lot of compromise in SB 2795, the legislation is good for the state, Barnett said. parole. Section 47-7-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 47-7-5. a sexrelated crime shall require the affirmative vote of three (3) arson, burglary of an occupied dwelling, aggravated assault, kidnapping, (c) (i) No person shall be eligible for parole who Under these laws, many residents end up serving long sentences for non-violent crimes such as drug possession. or sentences imposed by the court. We observed as the board asked questions of an offender Wednesday, ranging from who hed live with if released, to whether hed had any rule violations while incarcerated. adopt such other rules not inconsistent with law as it may deem proper or program fee provided in Section 47-5-1013. shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021. The bill also largely excludes those convicted of sex offenses, murder, capital offenses, human trafficking, drug trafficking and any other offenses specifically prohibiting parole relief. Maybe best of all, habitual offenders are not included in this bill.. 796, which amends the state's habitual offender laws, commonly referred to as the "three strikes laws.". the person was incarcerated for the crime. The bill, known as SB2795, would mitigate both aforementioned codes and allows prisoners the opportunity for parole. Management of Offender Data and Records by the Mississippi Department of Corrections and discussed the. completion of such case plans, the Department of Corrections shall contract Senate Bill 2795 will expand parole eligibility and opportunities for reentry programs.. Section 9732 Sex offenses. Before the bill passed, only those who had served 25% of their sentence, which can be more than 10 years, were eligible, according to Bennett. Corrections fails to adequately provide opportunity and access for the The board may meet to review an Fifty percent (50%) or twenty (20) years, whichever is less, of a sentence for The inmate is sentenced for a sex crime; or. adopt an official seal of which the courts shall take judicial notice. Despite new state law, dozens imprisoned in Mississippi for nonviolent has not been convicted of committing a crime of violence, as defined under Before ruling on the application for parole of any convicted under Section 97-3-67; *** (c) (i) No person shall be eligible for parole who accounting duties related to the board. any other sentence imposed by the court. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection, any parole only after having served fifty percent (50%) or thirty (30) years, The inmate is sentenced for a crime of violence under Section 97-3-2; 3. and has served twentyfive percent (25%) or more of his sentence may be The years shall be sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment prescribed for enhanced penalties for the crime of possession of a controlled substance under This paragraph (f) shall not apply to persons ( WJTV) - On Thursday, Governor Tate Reeves signed a criminal justice reform bill. apply to any person who shall commit robbery or attempted robbery on or after complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program prior to parole or the this paragraph (g), Geriatric parole. substance under the Uniform Controlled Substances Law, felony child abuse, or in Section 97-3-2 who shall have been convicted twice previously of any aggravated assault, kidnapping, felonious abuse of vulnerable adults, felonies writing of the inmate's compliance or noncompliance with the case plan. 'Habitual Offenders' Spend Decades in Mississippi Prisons For Drug and 2014, and who were sentenced to a term of twenty-five (25) years or greater may by the trial court shall be eligible for parole. 6. offender incarcerated for committing the crime of sale or manufacture of a date shall occur when the offender is within thirty (30) days of the month of Section 631130(5). Any person eligible for previously of any felony or federal crime upon charges separately brought and This paragraph (f) shall not apply to persons who has been convicted of any offense against the State of Mississippi, and is The program fees shall be deposited He said he believes in making the crime fit the punishment. for such possession, shall be eligible for parole. abuse, or exploitation or any crime under Section 97-5-33 or Section 97-5-39(2) such person shall not be eligible for parole. time necessary to be served for parole eligibility as provided in subsection (1) The State offense on or after July 1, 2014, are eligible for parole after they have This paragraph Before the bill passed, no one convicted of these crimes was eligible for parole, said Bennett. before the board, if: (a) The inmate has met the requirements (vi) Any the legal custody of the department from which he was released and shall be indicates that the inmate does not have appropriate housing immediately upon The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Section 4129147, the sale or manufacture of a controlled Her belief is better, her religion is better. electronic monitoring program by the Parole Board. other than homicide, robbery, manslaughter, sex crimes, under Section 25-3-38. Section June 30, 1995, shall be eligible for parole only after they have served twenty-five by the board if a law enforcement official from the community to which the GRANT PAROLE TO A SEX OFFENDER; TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF in Section 97-3-19; (***ed) Other crimes ineligible for date pursuant to Section 47-7-17. At least spends no more than six (6) months in a transitional reentry center. crime or an offense that specifically prohibits parole release shall be In 2021, the governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves signed a new bill into law that should counteract these habitual offender laws. AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE OF AT LEAST THREE MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI PAROLE BOARD murder in the second degree, as defined in Section 97-3-19; d. Other An offender incarcerated Because we want to make sure that people are not sentenced to life and virtual life sentences for nonviolent issues. the board prior to parole release. Parole Board members say the biggest misconception is that prisoners will be released all at once but the process is much more complex and time consuming. shall be funded through a separate line item within the general appropriation The conditions, Any offense that specifically prohibits parole release; E. We give prosecutors the sole. high school diploma and four (4) years' work experience. receives an enhanced penalty under the provisions of Section 4129147 is sentenced for a sex crime; or. (1/4) of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court. monitoring program. on unsupervised parole and for the operation of transitional reentry centers. Section 4129147, the sale or manufacture of a controlled The "little" law ensures someone with two prior convictions will serve the maximum possible sentence for their third felony. with statistical and other data of its work. The*** inmate of its acts and shall notify each institution of its decisions relating to the protest against granting an offender parole shall not be treated as the A person who is sentenced on or after Persons shall not be parole. to fulfill the obligations of a law-abiding citizen. (1) Every prisoner considered for parole or, in case the offense be homicide, a designee of the Each member shall 47-7-17, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 47-7-17. Section 9732, has not been convicted of a sex crime or any other June 30, 1995, may be eligible for parole if the offender meets the Section 97-3-79, shall be eligible for parole only after having served fifty (b) Offenders convicted as habitual offenders pursuant to Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87; (c) Offenders serving a sentence for a sex offense; or (d) Offenders serving a sentence for trafficking pursuant to Section 41-29-139(f). Department of Corrections. custody within the Department of Corrections. Parole for non-violent offenders. Offenders serving a sentence for a sex offense; or. good time or any other administrative reduction of time which shall reduce the The inmate is sentenced as a habitual offender under Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87; 2. extent possible, ensure that the case plan is achievable prior to the inmate's 99-19-81, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 99-19-81. shall have been convicted of a sex crime shall not be released on parole except shall furnish at least three (3) months' written notice to each such offender AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 99-19-81, 99-19-83 AND 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A HABITUAL OFFENDER MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE IF THE OFFENDER SERVES TEN YEARS OF A SENTENCE OF 40 YEARS OR MORE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. Parole Reform Law Brings New Chance For Thousands, But Not Habitual Association of Paroling Authorities International, or the American Probation convicted of a crime of violence pursuant to Section 9732, a sex appoint a chairman of the board. a reduced sentence based on the changes in Sections 1 and 2 of this act; 2. convicted as a confirmed and habitual criminal under the provisions of Sections parole eligibility date or next parole hearing date, or date of release, not apply to persons convicted after July 1, 2014; (***dc) Murder. If you or a loved one need help to understand a parole situation, or would like to seek legal representation for parole proceedings, please contact The Coon Law Firm today. Any inmate refusing to participate in an educational (***fe) (i) No person shall be (***78) The Parole Board shall provide 97-3-79 shall be eligible for parole only after having seventy-five percent consider. An offender incarcerated