Starrett: Too many people in prison
A Mississippi federal judge is praising the Legislature’s passing a bill to reform the state’s criminal justice system.
U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett said he agrees with Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr., who called the legislation the most important reform in 100 years. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed the bill this past week.
The law is modeled on criminal-justice changes made in recent years in several states.
Starrett said the law is heavy with re-entry efforts, which he compared to the way doctors gather information to diagnose a patient’s illness and figure out the best treatment for it.
The Enterprise-Journal reports Starrett spoke to a McComb civic club this past week.
“What we’re doing is not working. We’re locking up too many people and we’re not doing anything with them when they’re there. From a human standpoint, it’s just not the right thing to do.
SFGate
4/6/14
Magnolia Tribune
