HIGH COURT JUSTICE: EDUCATION CAN CURB CRIME

High Court Justice Also Favors Drug Treatment

GULFPORT - State Supreme Court Justice James Graves Jr. believes
keeping children in school and providing drug treatment courses are
key factors in reducing Mississippi's rising prison population.

Graves shared his thoughts on the state's incarceration rate and
praised corrections officials during a brief address at the
Mississippi Association of Professionals in Corrections banquet
Thursday night. He was the keynote speaker at the association's 20th
annual conference, held this week at the Grand Casino Oasis Resort in
Gulfport.

"What you do is so important in the justice system and in society,"
Graves told the crowd of more than 100 corrections officials.

Graves said he believes education is essential in reducing the
incarceration rate, noting a common factor among criminals is that
many are dropouts. He also believes criminals with drug addictions
must be treated to stop them from returning to prison.

A former circuit court judge, Graves questioned the effectiveness of
the 1995 truth in sentencing law, saying it is not a crime deterrent.
Graves said the law, which requires inmates to serve at least 85
percent of their sentences, is partly responsible for Mississippi
leading the nation in the percentage of incarcerated people.

"I don't think criminals calculate how much time they could serve
before they commit a crime," Graves said.

MAPC is a nonprofit organization that promotes professionalism, unity
and educational growth for criminal justice practitioners.