Mississippi's prison population dropping

Mississippi's prison population, which has consistently ranked second in the nation per capita, has seen a decrease of almost 3,000 inmates in the last year.

On Jan. 25, 2014, the state's prison population was 21,743 inmates. On Jan. 25, of this year, the state's prison population was 18,845, a decrease of 2,898 inmates since the same time period last year.

New Mississippi Department of Corrections Commission Marshall Fisher said the decrease is due to the State Parole Board releasing more nonviolent inmates or placing some offenders on house arrest.

Fisher said that as a result of fewer inmates, MDOC should end this budget year with a budget surplus. Often the legislature has had to approve a deficit appropriation for MDOC to meet its current year budget obligations.

Fisher said MDOC will have to rework a private prison contract because it no longer has the number of inmates to fill the space.

A bill in the Legislature would remove MDOC employees from under civil service protection for a year, but Fisher, who has only been on the job since December, said if the legislation passes, he has no intentions of just firing employees.

State Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, said Gov. Bryant made a great selection in choosing Fisher as MDOC's commissioner coming off former Commissioner Chris Epps being charged in a 49-count federal indictment on corruption-related charges.

But Blount said he doesn't agree with the bill to remove MDOC employees from civil service protection.

"Firing people without due process isn't going to help," Blount said.

But state Sen. Buck Clarke, R-Hollandale, said it won't be the first time that MDOC employeess has been removed from civil service protection.

"I think he (Fisher) will be very sensitive about personnel," Clarke said.

Fisher said he would like to see the salary for correctional officers and probation officers increased. He said the avarage pay is $22,000 a year for a correctional officer and $27,000 for a probation officer.

A key goal is retention of correctional and probation officers, Fisher said, and better pay might help with attracting and keeping them.

Fisher said he plans to increase annual training requirements, including firearm proficiency for correctional and probation officers.

Contact Jimmie E. Gates at jgates@jackson.gannett.com or (601) 961-7212. Follow @jgatesnews on Twitter.