Expanded work release program aims to reduce recidivism, provide successful path after parole

• Challenges such as adequate transitional housing and available tracking devices remain a concern.

Mississippi lawmakers and State Parole Board members are hopeful that legislative efforts to improve the parole process and reduce recidivism will be proven successful. A key component is the expanded work release program, officials say.

Beyond finding a place to live and obtaining a state issued ID, being able to work and make a living is one of the most challenging aspects of reentering society parolees face.

“The hardest thing for these parolees though is having an address that’s approved, having a driver’s license or state issued ID, which the (state is) supposed to furnish that to them prior to their parole,” former State Parole Board member Tony Smith described. “And then they’ve got to get a job.”

That’s where the work release program comes in.

Expanded Work Release Program

Legislation that became law this year aims to help inmates overcome the job search hurdle by increasing the number of inmates eligible to participate in the state’s work release program.

With Governor Tate Reeves’ signature on SB 2445 at the end of the 2024 session, Mississippi’s pilot work release program was expanded.

The initial program allowed inmates at one correctional facility – the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility – to apply. Fifty-one inmates applied and 38 successfully became part of the program. Of the 38 inmates who successfully entered the program all were paroled, and only two were reincarcerated, Senator Juan Barnett said. Barnett is the chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee.

County work programs that are now part of the effort include Rankin, Harrison and Lee Counties. This year’s extension added Hinds County to the list would SB 2445. Each of the facilities can have 25 inmates in their respective program. 

“What we saw by that success number if you start while they’re inside and get them a job, get them used to making real money and doing those things, a lot of them don’t come back,” Barnett said.

Having the inmates in the program being paid a prevailing wage contributes to the success of the effort. Senator Barnett said if a position pays $12 an hour for someone off the street, participants in the work release program will receive the same level of pay. Paying participants a prevailing wage accomplishes two goals, according to Barnett. It ensures the program is not abused by employers and sets the inmate up with enough savings to restart their life when released.

As a former Parole Board member, Smith agrees that paying a decent wage leads to success. He said without the prospect of making a reasonable living, it wouldn’t be long until parolees began considering other means to provide for themselves.

In an effort to set inmates up for success after their release, paychecks for work release program participants are split into several accounts. Fifty percent goes into a post-release savings account while 25 percent pays for the inmate’s fines, fees, restitution and any child support. Fifteen percent goes to MDOC to help cover the cost of the inmate and 10 percent is given to the inmate for their use while incarcerated, Senator Barnett outlined. 

Another benefit of the program is that employers have some assurance that the employee will come to work regularly, even after they are released. 

“So, they are actually earning money, paying off some things they will be faced with when they get out. And the good thing about it, most of the places they are working at have already agreed to hire them full time when they leave MDOC,” Barnett added. 

To participate in the work release program, an inmate has to have two years or less of their sentence remaining and must not have been convicted of a crime listed under code 97-3-2, which includes a violent crime such as human trafficking, murder, rape, and numerous other sex offenses, to name a few.

“If we get those people in front of those employers while they are incarcerated, they can show the employer they are willing to work and they can work and do a good job. Then the employer knows, ‘Hey, he’s getting out on Friday, but he’s been working here so I’m going to keep him working here,”’ Barnett described. “Now that becomes less of a hurdle for that person who is getting out.” 

Smith now works as an Assistant to Southern District Transportation Commissioner Charles Busby (R). He plans to use his first-hand knowledge of the parole process to pitch a new program to the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) where inmates can use their knowledge of tractor operations or put their CDL to work to fill vacancies at the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Smith said that potential program is still in the discussion stage and will focus on non-violent offenders.

Current State Parole Board member Julia Norman is excited about the expanded work release program.

“When I see one, I’m pumped about it,” Norman told Magnolia Tribune, noting the fondness of the program she and fellow State Parole Board members have when they review inmates’ files. “That person is getting paroled because I know that they have been complying with that program, they’re ready.” 

How Parole Works 

Parole hearings, as set by statute, must be held within 30 days of the inmate’s parole date, said Norman.

Norman joined the five-member Board in 2022, a year after SB 2795 – the Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act – went into effect. That legislation allows inmates convicted of some violent offenses to be considered for parole, however those convicted of crimes including murder, adult sex crimes, habitual offenses, and drug and human trafficking are excluded.

While considering any inmate for parole, Norman said the Board takes into consideration whether the inmate is currently attending drug and alcohol counseling or completing other self-improvement classes. If those classes or counseling has been completed and the inmate meets the other requirements, parole is granted. If the inmate is still in process of completing a class or counseling, and the inmate is granted parole, a release date is typically set after the inmate completes the program. 

Before an inmate can be released on parole, an address of where the person will live upon release must be approved by MDOC representatives. 

“In the state of Mississippi, you are required to have an approved address to be released on parole,” Norman explained. “What that means is someone has to go and inspect the address you’ve provided.”

If the address provided is in a location that may lead to exposure to influences that contributed to the incarcerated person getting into trouble in the first place, such as high crime rate areas, the address could be denied. Denials result in the address approval process starting over, delaying or preventing release of the inmate. 

“It seems pretty simple, but you have to consider the population that we are dealing with,” Norman said. “Many times, there are reasons they are incarcerated outside of the crime they committed.” 

Remaining Issues

For Norman, a few issues still need to be addressed in the parole process, namely the current state of transitional housing and the delay in the utilization of mandated tracking equipment. 

When MDOC denies the parolee’s request to live with a family member or friend, the only option is transitional housing which could lead the parolee to fall back into prior bad habits.

Norman explained that transitional housing is usually not well maintained, and since it houses other parolees facing similar struggles, recently released parolees may face negative influences. 

“I wish that we had better transitional housing, that’s another thing that Senator (Juan) Barnett and I have talked through a lot,” Norman noted.

According to Norman, the state’s stipend does not cover the full cost of operation for transitional housing, and some of the facilities have a lack of oversight. She said she has driven past transitional housing that, to her, from the outside appears to have been abandoned.

Another concern is the availability of tracking devices.

Depending on the persons being considered for parole, the State Parole Board may approve parole with caveats, one such factor is requiring the parolee to wear an ankle tracking device. The challenge with those devices, Norman said, is they are not provided to the parolee until after leaving MDOC custody and meeting with a parole officer. At times, a device might not be immediately available which delays the process.