lawrota.com

The Department of Justice’s recent investigation into three Mississippi prisons has unearthed alarming issues of violence, gang activities, and deplorable conditions. With staggering job vacancy rates ranging from 30 to 50 percent, staffing shortages exacerbate the problem, leaving inmates inadequately supervised. Gangs capitalize on this void, perpetuating violence and smuggling contraband. The report underscores the state’s failure to safeguard inmates, investigate misconduct, or control contraband effectively. Highlighting the dire conditions in Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, South Mississippi Correctional Institution, and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility, the findings echo earlier concerns raised in 2022 regarding Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized that individuals do not forfeit their constitutional rights upon incarceration. She spotlighted incidents of sexual assault and the alarming lack of supervision, with one male inmate’s harrowing experience of being assaulted in a shower while gang members stood guard. The report paints a grim picture of unsanitary and hazardous conditions in restrictive housing units, which pose significant risks to inmates’ safety. The rampant violence and substandard living conditions underscore the urgent need for reform within Mississippi’s correctional system.

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Source: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/28/mississippi-prisons-violence-doj-00143891