INCARCERATION COSTS CUFF MISS.

Easing Truth-In-Sentencing Law Mulled As Stopgap

A new report says 8.9 percent of Mississippi's total prison population is
serving a life sentence, and experts say the figure is likely to increase.

Nationally, the number of prisoners serving life sentences has increased 83
percent in the past 10 years as tough-on-crime initiatives have led to
harsher penalties, according to the study released this week by The
Sentencing Project, a Washington-based group that promotes alternatives to
prison.

The report said the increases are not the result of more crime, since
violent crime fell significantly during the period covered by the study.
Rather, longer mandatory sentences and more restrictive parole and
commutation policies are most responsible, the report said. In Mississippi,
2,003 inmates - including 285 who are ineligible for parole - are serving
life sentences.

Ryan King, research associate for The Sentencing Project, said Wednesday
the growing number of inmates serving life sentences is going to create
economic problems for Mississippi and other states. The average lifetime
cost of housing an inmate is $1 million, he said.

"As the costs go up, the numbers go up and the average age of the person in
prison increases. You've got an older prison population, and the inherent
health care costs," King said.

Mississippi's lawmakers are scrambling for ways to stymie prison population
growth.

"The state of Mississippi, without increasing taxes, can no longer afford
to incarcerate nonviolent offenders for the amount of time they are
receiving," said House Corrections Chairman Bennett Malone, D-Carthage.

"It's going to be very pressing upon the Legislature to look at
truth-in-sentencing," he said.

Mississippi's truth-in-sentencing law requires most inmates to serve 85
percent of their sentence before they're considered for parole.

Malone and Senate Corrections Chairman Robert "Bunky" Huggins, R-Greenwood,
said they'll review some of the state's sentencing laws this summer.

In the just-ended 2004 session, lawmakers passed a bill that will allow
some nonviolent inmates to work time off their sentences. Malone said
lawmakers may take another look at amending the law to include drug
offenders, depending on the crime committed.