A Senate Bill aimed at effectively shuttering the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman has been tabled in committee.
SB 2047 was introduced by Corrections Chairman Sen. Juan Barnett a couple of weeks ago. It is the second time in as many years Barnett has tried to jumpstart a drawdown of operations at the Sunflower County-based prison.
District 13 Sen. Sarita Simmons told The Enterprise-Tocsin this week that the bill had been tabled.
“I want to remind my constituents that the Delta is often targeted by individuals who do not live in the area. It is essential that we stay vigilant and take action to safeguard the Delta's interests,” she said.
Barnett has long argued that the state is throwing tens of millions of dollars in resources toward the prison, a facility that has garnered national attention in recent years for poor conditions.
Barnett’s plan proposes to relocate many of the inmates there to a nearby facility in Tutwiler, leaving death row, the hospital and other services at Parchman.
District 31 Rep. Otis Anthony told The E-T that any “discussions about (Parchman’s) future must include the voices of those who depend on it for their livelihoods. At the same time, we cannot ignore the longstanding concerns about the conditions within Parchman, the treatment of incarcerated individuals, and the systemic issues that have led to repeated federal investigations.”
Anthony said that now is the time to push for “real reform” when it comes to the state’s prison system, notably Parchman.
“We must invest in structural improvements, increase oversight and accountability, and implement rehabilitation programs that truly prepare individuals for reentry into society,” Anthony said. “The dignity and safety of both inmates and corrections staff must be a priority. I urge my colleagues in the Legislature, the Department of Corrections, and local leaders to come together to develop a plan that modernizes Parchman without destabilizing our local economy. Sunflower County should not have to choose between economic stability and humane prison conditions—we can and must do both.”
For now, Parchman will remain in operation as it has for decades.
"I am pleased to have gathered the support of my colleagues to successfully defeat the bill,” Simmons said. “Had this bill been passed and signed into law, it would have posed significant harm to Sunflower County and the Mississippi Delta."
