JACKSON, Miss.–Prison reform is a slow process in Mississippi. But, legislators took some steps Thursday, passing conference reports in the House meant to improve the system, how it treats prisoners and the overall result when they are released from the system.
“Mr. Chairman, what would be the wages for these prisoners?” asked Holmes County Rep. Bryant Clark, about a bill that would expand the work-release program currently in county jails, to regional jails.
The wage of $15 an hour, with the prisoner keeping half of that, 10 percent going into their commissary fund and 15 percent going to the jail that is housing them.
Another conference report, which is essentially a bill that has already been negotiated by both the House and Senate, would extend the allowance of state inmates to be kept in county jails for another three years. That is usually extended with another repealer.
The state picks up the tab for housing those inmates.
