Mississippi
Incarceration to stable habitation — California students learn Mississippi lessons
In Mississippi, where 97% of incarcerated individuals eventually return to society, stable reentry housing plays a critical role in determining success or failure.
Sadly, over 75% of those released from prison find themselves back behind bars within five years. This sobering reality prompted a group of UC Berkeley Law students, including myself, to collaborate with the MacArthur Justice Center during a spring 2024 visit to Mississippi. There were three reasons we wanted to make the long trip from California to Mississippi for an in-depth exploration of reentry housing for those who have paid their “debt to society.”
First, we have a strong working relationship with the MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law, and together we identified reentry housing as an area that could use the kind of landscape analysis we were well-situated to tackle.
Second, we wanted to see if Mississippi had any ideas on how to fix housing, because, let’s be honest, California isn’t a shining example of effective housing policy. And third: blues, delicious food and Southern hospitality. We found all three.
Our years-long partnership with the MacArthur Justice Center focuses on discrete projects about criminal justice reform, culminating with a spring break Mississippi trip. This year, we sought to understand Mississippi’s reentry housing issues from the perspectives of the government, private sector, nonprofits, faith communities and incarcerated individuals. We condensed our findings into a report with policy recommendations, which can be found at https://law.olemiss.edu/macarthur-justice-clinic/.
Our stakeholder discussions produced three main policy recommendations: addressing barriers for returning citizens, infrastructure improvements to Mississippi’s reentry ecosystem and reframing the reentry narrative. Each of these contain multiple, actionable suggestions to be considered by policymakers and community leaders throughout the state. I’ve summarized each bucket below, but I encourage you to read our report to learn more about specific recommendations.
The first issue, addressing barriers to reentry, analyzes the experience of incarcerated individuals getting ready to go home. Finding a safe, stable place to live after prison is extremely difficult for most incarcerated people: many come from circumstances where going “home” is not an option but can’t access resources to find somewhere else to live. Fortunately, improving access to information and connection to existing resources will cost the state little or nothing while removing significant hurdles for incarcerated people.
Secondly, improving the infrastructure of Mississippi’s reentry system encompasses a broad spectrum of initiatives, ranging from interagency cooperation to data management regarding homelessness.
While it is impossible to explain all seven sub-sections here, the takeaway is that some policies (or lack thereof) create perverse incentives or undermine agencies’ and organizations’ abilities to achieve their goals. The good news is that there are some creative fixes underway. For example, Mississippi’s pilot work release program is already being implemented and seeing noteworthy improvements in outcomes.
Lastly, reentry needs a reframe from kitchen tables to the Capitol Building. Shifting public perception — from viewing returning citizens as liabilities to recognizing their potential contributions — can foster bipartisan support for rehabilitation efforts, as it has in neighboring states. Emphasizing the value of investing in reentry not only benefits individuals seeking to rebuild their lives but also strengthens communities as a whole.
It is truly a blessing for us Californians to get to learn from the Mississippians working on these issues. In our state, we often throw money at our problems, but not always strategically. What I found in Mississippi is that the lack of government funds necessitates a certain creativity and scrappiness that you won’t find in the Golden State.
I won’t lie and say things are going great in Mississippi — there’s work to be done (as with anywhere). What I will say is that, as I left this state to head back out West, I had an unshakeable feeling that Mississippi’s fledgling work-release program might be the blueprint that could get our country out of this endless cycle of over-incarceration and recidivism, blue and red states alike.
Hopefully our report offers value to the smart and dedicated people working on these issues in Mississippi. We offer it not because we have anything to teach, but instead as a compilation of the many things you taught us. Whether in Berkeley or Brandon, Malibu or McComb, we’re in this together!
— Niki Kates is a third-year law student at the University of California at Berkeley. She is from Truckee, California and received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Willamette University.
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Staff
A wood products manufacturer is set to create new jobs as part of a major expansion.
Carpenter Pole and Piling is investing nearly $5 million into its Wiggins, Mississippi, operation.
The expansion will add 10 new positions and support long-term growth in the region.
“Carpenter Pole and Piling is a true Mississippi success story, and we’re proud to see the company continue investing right here at home,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said.
“This expansion in Stone County is creating new opportunities for hardworking Mississippians while strengthening a company that has long contributed to our state’s economy,” Reeves said. “When Mississippi businesses grow, our communities grow with them, and we remain committed to fostering a business environment where companies can thrive.”
Carpenter Pole and Piling produces utility poles and pilings for marine and foundation use.
The project includes construction of a new treatment plant, investment in a 2,600-cubic-foot autoclave and an alternative treatment option to improve production capacity.
The company is also clearing and preparing an additional 20 acres for a new pole storage yard.
Stone County is also contributing to the project.
The company expects to complete construction by September 2026.
The new roles are expected to be filled by January 2027.
Carpenter Pole and Piling specializes in the production of utility poles. It also manufactures foundation and marine pilings.
The new autoclave will increase production and add an alternative treatment option.
This story was created by business and development writer Ross Reily, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
Mississippi
CBSB: Southern Miss sweeps again, Mississippi State shines in Texas, Ole Miss struggles – SuperTalk Mississippi
Southern Miss earned its second consecutive sweep, rounding out a mostly successful weekend of college baseball for Mississippi’s major programs.
The No. 12 Golden Eagles (10-1), fresh off a mercy-rule victory over Alabama, exited a hostile Louisiana Tech environment with three straight wins versus a former conference counterpart. Christian Ostrander’s crew won 8-3 on Friday, cruised to an 11-0 run-rule victory through seven innings on Saturday, and was on the good side of a 6-2 scoreboard in Sunday’s finale.
A three-run bomb by Kyle Morrison in the top of the fourth of Friday’s game put the black and gold up 5-3, and solid pitching carried the team the rest of the way. A six-run top of the fourth of Saturday’s game, in part due to a Matthew Russo 2 RBI single, broke a scoring stalemate and fueled Southern Miss to a win in a shortened matchup. A two-run long ball by Joey Urban in the top of the ninth of Sunday’s battle gave the Golden Eagles a buffer that would not be eclipsed.
Kros Sivley (2-0) was Friday’s winning pitcher after logging a pair of strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Grayden Harris (2-0) got the win on Saturday after fanning five batters and surrendering no runs through six complete innings. Camden Sunstrom (1-0) closed out the finale with the win after striking out two batters and not giving up a hit or a run in the final two frames.
Mississippi State wins two in Texas
The No. 4 Bulldogs (11-1) had a solid weekend in the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series. Brian O’Connor’s club handled the weekend test with an 8-4 win over Arizona State, a 15-8 victory over Virginia Tech, and a heartbreaking 8-7 extra-innings loss to No. 1 UCLA.
Mississippi State broke a scoring hiatus on Friday with a strong bottom of the fifth. A Bryce Chance RBI single scored the game’s first run, then a Gehrig Frei homer put the Bulldogs up 4-0. Three insurance runs were added in the next offensive frame, and Mississippi State did not look back. On Saturday, an Ace Reece longball gave the maroon and white a 4-0 lead in the top of the second. Virginia Tech chipped away, cutting the deficit to two runs, until a five-run top of the seventh put things out of reach.
Sunday’s finale was a battle between two teams vying for bragging rights as the nation’s best. The Bruins took an early 3-0 lead, but Mississippi State quickly countered. A two-run bomb by Reed Stallman and an RBI double by Ryder Woodson knotted things up 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth. The Bulldogs added a run in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to lead 5-3.
A two-out home run by UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky tied the ballgame in the top of the ninth. Mississippi State, with runners on second and third and no outs in the bottom of the ninth, could not send a runner home. A wild pitch and a 2 RBI triple scored three Bruins in the top of the 10th. Stallman hit his second home run of the day to inch the Bulldogs within one run of their foe, but it was not followed up with more scoring.
Winning pitchers for Mississippi State this weekend were Ryan McPherson (2-0) and Tomas Valincius (3-0), while Ben Davis (0-1) was tabbed with the lone loss.
Ole Miss struggles in neutral-site tournament
In its first set of tests versus power conference opponents, the Rebels (10-2) struggled mightily, dropping two of three outings in the BRUCE BOLT College Classic. Mike Bianco’s club fell to Baylor 6-5 in extra innings on Friday before bouncing back on Saturday in an 8-0 win over Ohio State and suffering a 9-2 loss to Coastal Carolina in Sunday’s finale. Ole Miss was a combined 0-18 at the plate with runners in scoring position in the two losses.
Though the weekend didn’t play to the Rebels’ advantage, a few individual performers stood out. Murray State transfer Dom Decker, who entered his junior campaign without hitting a home run, hit three balls over the outfield wall at the Houston Astros’ Daikin Park. Hunter Elliott had a career-high 11 strikeouts on Friday, while Cade Townsend and Taylor Rabe collectively fanned 16 batters in Saturday’s shutout.
Next up
Southern Miss will play a pair of home midweek games, the first being against Mississippi State on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and the second versus Nicholls on Wednesday at 6 p.m., before hosting North Alabama over the weekend.
Mississippi State will host Lipscomb over the weekend after facing the Golden Eagles.
Ole Miss will host Memphis on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and North Alabama on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., before welcoming Evansville for a weekend series.
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