JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – In his latest address to the state on the Coronavirus Pandemic Governor Tate Reeves is firmly standing by his decision to not allow the COVID-19 crisis to make any inmate eligible for early release. Many prison reform advocates are demanding this action in fear prison facilities are becoming hot spots.
Governor Reeves declared this week as Corrections Officer’s appreciation week. Another field of essential workers on the frontlines risking their health watching inmates, but some may be carrying the virus to work with them.
Long before the Coronavirus came to Mississippi the State’s department of corrections was in its own crisis with inmates rioting and deaths in custody.
“We are all aware of the crisis we inherited,” Governor Reeves said. “And I can’t tell you how many people at the department have stepped up.”
Facing a shortage of correction employees Governor Reeves put his words to action announcing an increase in wages for prison guards by 5%-9% while distributing masks to inmates and staff.
“We said from the beginning we are going to do everything we can to stop an outbreak in our prisons,” Governor Reeves continued in his Wednesday press conference. “And so far, that’s what we’ve done.”
For some prison reform activists these moves are too little too late.
“They are exposed at a higher level, they have no respect to social distancing,” Dr. Aziatikk Blakk of Too Blakk Too Strong non-profit argued. “These people are in rooms man with social distancing and have no way to move.”
Throughout the nation in federal and state prisons, others have declared releasing non-violent offenders early to avoid outbreaks, but Governor Reeves is not on board.
“We have a parole board, if they meet the qualifications of the parole board then they certainly have that potential,” Governor Reeves said. “I do not believe we ought to use a pandemic to change our sentencing structure.”
As of May 6. 37 inmates have been tested with only four coming back positive, meanwhile, 43 staff members have been tested with seven being positive.
“With these statistics man what happens to the staff and the inmates in there?”, Dr. Blakk wondered. “Are they left in there to die? I mean these are the questions that should be asked to the Governor.”
Dr. Blakk. went on to call Governor Reeves comments on not releasing any prisoners early “in-human”, also with visitation and inmate movement drawn to a halt, their mental health is also threatened.
REFORM Alliance released a statement about the governor’s decision:
By refusing to release anyone from prison, Gov. Reeves is sentencing a whole bunch of Mississippians who live and work behind bars to die from COVID. This has happened in other parts of the country and it’ll happen in Mississippi unless Gov. Reeves puts politics aside and acts now to save lives. The Governor should order his state to identify people behind bars who aren’t a threat to public safety and get them out of harm’s way immediately. Otherwise, he should prepare to start digging graves.
JESSICA JACKSON, CHIEF ADVOCACY OFFICER, REFORM ALLIANCE.
