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92-512: Dedication ceremonies were scheduled for April 1989, and the moving in of the first 25 inmates was scheduled to occur on April 17, 1989. The prison opened on April 13, 1990, with an initial capacity of 516 prisoners. It was designed by Dale and Associates. In 2001 the groundbreaking for a new chapel occurred. Jerry Mitchell of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting stated that upon SCMI's opening, it "provided employment for

184-616: A Delta Democrat Times article (circa November 1974), the State of Mississippi spent over $ 250,000 ($ 1544534.41 when adjusted for inflation) in tuition costs and thousands of dollars in transportation costs for North Sunflower. By that time nobody had legally challenged that law in court. Constance Curry , author of Silver Rights , stated it was legal under Mississippi law but may have been unconstitutional under U.S. federal law. Parchman, along with other areas in Sunflower County,

276-485: A federal agency jam frequencies. The managed access system renders unauthorized devices useless within the prison; it relieves the administration of having to locate or confiscate the devices. It permits authorized devices to operate unimpeded. The technology avoids the legal impediments associated with competing technologies for cell detection and cell-jamming. It ensures that all emergency 911 calls are permitted to complete. Christopher Epps , Commissioner of MDOC, announced

368-420: A gigantic antebellum plantation and operated on the basis of a plan proposed by Governor John M. Stone in 1896". Prisoners worked as laborers in its operations. In the fiscal year 1905, Parchman's first year of operations, the State of Mississippi earned $ 185,000 (more than $ 4.6 million in 2009 dollars) from Parchman's operations. Originally, Parchman was one of two prisons designated for black men, with

460-512: A job-starved small town." As of September 1, 2008, South Mississippi Correctional Institution, with a capacity of 3,204, had 3,106 prisoners, making up a total of 21.57% of people within the Mississippi Department of Corrections -operated prisons, county jails, and community work centers. Of the inmates at SMCI, all of whom are male, 2,088 are Black, 962 are White, 45 are Hispanic, nine are Asian, and two are Native American. In

552-638: A method of execution. The lethal injection table was first used for executions in 2002. On November 17, 2003, Larry Hentz escaped from Unit 24B of MSP; he was believed to have been traveling with his wife. The escapee and his wife were captured in San Diego, California on December 11, 2003. Hentz was returned to prison. In 2005, Tim Climer, the executive director of the Sunflower County Economic Development District, stated that he wanted to develop MSP as

644-619: A mobile electric chair , which, between 1940 and February 5, 1952, had been transported to various counties for executions at prisoner's native grounds. In 1942, the prison saw the end of convict leasing . The first person to be executed in the gas chamber was Gearald A. Gallego, on March 3, 1955. In the spring of 1961, Freedom Riders went to the American South to work for desegregation of public facilities serving interstate transportation, as segregation of such facilities and buses had been declared unconstitutional. Violence engulfed

736-436: A person released from prison is convicted of another crime and imprisoned within three years. Based on those criteria, its recidivism rate is about 33%. Its parolees have had considerable success after the state officials adopted a risk assessment instrument in 2009, to evaluate which candidates for parole under a new law designed to reduce the prison population of persons convicted of non-violent crime. As of September 1, 2008,

828-422: A rent of 10 to 20 dollars (about $ 75.23-150.47 adjusted for inflation) per month, a rate described by Donald Cabana, a former superintendent of MSP, as "nominal". The state provided housing for employees due to the isolation of MSP, and therefore the staff can quickly respond to emergencies such as inmate disturbances or escapes. As of the 1970s, multiple generations of families lived and worked at MSP. As of 2002,

920-455: A result of such a suit against Unit 32 (Death Row lockdown unit) at Mississippi State Penitentiary , the state and the ACLU worked out a settlement in 2006 that changed processes and dramatically reduced the use of punitive solitary confinement in the state. In 2009 and 2014, the state passed legislation to provide more flexibility in sentencing and parole of certain classes of prisoners, reducing

1012-482: A science-based risk assessment instrument to apply. By August 2009, some 3100 prisoners had been paroled from prison. The Board's use of the new risk assessment instrument resulted in their having a higher rate of parole approval. The parole revocation rate has not changed, and in the first year, only 5 of the people returned to prison for new crimes, a rate of 0.2% that was a fraction of the national rate of 10.5%. Legislative amendments have been passed in 2009 increased

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1104-427: A subsidy to the jurisdictions to manage the prisoners. The prisoners, often classified as trusties, would get reductions in their sentences in exchange for doing work. On April 30, 2015 MDOC stated that it would end this program and save $ 3.2 million per year. Many jurisdictions have complained they will be unable to replace the labor of the prisoners. In 2014, media reported that Commissioner Chris Epps had said that

1196-564: A suit against the prison superintendent in federal district court in 1972, alleging their civil rights under the United States Constitution were being violated by the infliction of cruel and unusual punishment . In the case, Gates v. Collier (1972), the federal judge William C. Keady found that Parchman Farm violated the Constitution and was an affront to 'modern standards of decency'. Among other reforms,

1288-468: A tee shirt and loose-fitting boxer shorts ... no more. It was the beginning of many steps to try to intimidate and humiliate the Freedom Riders. They were denied most basic items, such as pencils and paper or books." David Fankhauser, a Freedom Rider at Parchman Farm, said, In our cells, we were given a Bible, an aluminum cup and a tooth brush. The cell measured 6 × 8 feet with a toilet and sink on

1380-821: A tourist attraction by establishing an interpretive center. In 2010, the Mississippi State Penitentiary became the first correctional facility in the United States to install a system to prevent contraband cell phone usage by inmates . The managed access system was to prevent the authentication and operation of contraband wireless devices within the prison grounds. Other prisoners, visitors and guards had been smuggling in cellphones as whole units or in pieces for later re-assembly and use. Federal Communications Commission regulations do not allow for devices which interfere with communications on licensed frequencies; The Communications Act only allows

1472-607: A widespread scam involving forged money orders. In 1985, area farmers still referred to the facility as being the "Parchman Penal Farm", even though the facility was officially named the "Mississippi State Penitentiary". During that year MSP had over 4,000 prisoners, including 200 women in a few of the camps. When the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) opened in January 1986, all women who were incarcerated at MSP were moved to

1564-493: A work program at MSP, with about 190 inmates participating. The road from the front entrance to the back entrance stretches 5.4 miles (8.7 km). Donald Cabana, who served as the superintendent and executioner of MSP, said, "the sheer magnitude of the place was difficult to comprehend on first viewing." "Parchman" appears as a place on highway maps. The "Parchman" dot represents the MSP main entrance and several MSP buildings, with

1656-543: A young age. Prison guards start at just twelve dollars an hour. They receive just six week's training. Nationwide, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (of the US Department of Justice) says that about three-quarters of those released from prison are arrested again in the next five years. That figure spans a wide range of actions for which a person may be arrested. Mississippi measures its recidivism differently: whether

1748-436: Is 8 miles (13 km) south of MSP, and Ruleville is about 15 miles (24 km) from MSP. Parchman is south of Tutwiler , about 90 miles (140 km) south of Memphis, Tennessee , and about 120 miles (190 km) north of Jackson . Throughout MSP's history, it was referred to as "the prison without walls" due to the dispersed camps within its property. Hugh Ferguson, the director of public affairs of MSP, said that

1840-662: Is a state agency of Mississippi that operates prisons. It has its headquarters in Jackson . As of 2020 Burl Cain is the commissioner. In 1843 a penitentiary in four city squares in central Jackson was developed as Mississippi's first state prison. The prison in Jackson was destroyed during the Civil War, and the state did not replace it for decades. Instead, the state conducted convict leasing , leasing prisoners to third parties for their labor. The lessees held custody of

1932-494: Is not more than 3 inches (76 mm) in length. Men may have beards and goatees up to .5 inches (13 mm) in length. Most prisoner outfits are striped. As of 1997, green stripes indicate lower security prisoners, black stripes indicate prisoners with a level higher than the ones with green stripes, and red stripes indicate high security prisoners. Reception and Classification Center inmates wear yellow jumpsuits. Condemned prisoners are required to wear red jumpsuits. Since

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2024-744: Is within the service area of the Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC). MDCC has the Drew Center in Drew, while its main campus is in Moorhead . Sunflower County Library System operates the Drew Public Library in Drew. Parchman also has three cemeteries ; prisoners are buried on-site. A dead prisoner may be buried in one of two of the cemeteries. Hundreds of prisoners had been buried at two of

2116-487: The Brookings Institution . Journalist Jerry Mitchell explored the consensus by experts who have found that the state could keep more people out of prison by stressing good education from a young age, and recommended improving schools in poor rural areas rather than building prisons. African Americans are incarcerated at a rate three times that of whites in the state but could be helped by good education from

2208-590: The Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF) in Rankin County to be classified according to behavior level and assessed for treatment. The classification process takes around 30 days. Most male inmates who are sentenced to MDOC by the courts or who are returned to MDOC as parole violators, probation violators, intensive supervision program (ISP) ( house arrest ) violators, earned release supervision (ERS) violators, and suspension violators are placed at R&C. All women inmates who are sentenced to MDOC by

2300-748: The Drew School District , and children who lived on the grounds of MSP attended A.W. James Elementary School and Drew Hunter High School in Drew . Prior to the 2010–11 school year the Drew School District secondary schools were Hunter Middle School and Drew High School . On July 1, 2012, the Drew School District consolidated into the Sunflower district, and the high school division of Drew Hunter closed as of that date, with high school students rezoned to Ruleville Central. In 1969,

2392-566: The Great Depression , the prison had 1,989 inmates. Around the 1950s, residents of Sunflower County were still opposed to the concept of housing an execution chamber at MSP. In September 1954, Governor Hugh L. White called for a special session of the Mississippi Legislature to discuss the application of the death penalty. During that year, the prison installed a gas chamber for on-site executions. It replaced

2484-553: The Mississippi Delta , has almost no trees. Ferguson said that a potential escapee would have no place to hide. Richard Rubin, author of Confederacy of Silence: A True Tale of the New Old South , said that MSP's environment is so inhospitable for escape that prisoners working in the fields are not chained to one another, and one overseer supervises each gang. A potential escapee could wander for days without leaving

2576-644: The Southern Poverty Law Center and the ACLU National Prison Project against two private facilities with the most egregious conditions: they filed suit against Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in 2010. This case was settled in federal court in 2012, requiring the state to quickly transfer youth offenders to a state-run facility to be operated according to juvenile justice standards. They were transferred to Central Mississippi Correctional Facility . In addition,

2668-593: The 2,582 female inmates, 1,311 (50.77%) are Black, 1,239 (47.99%) are White, 14 (.54%) are Hispanic, 8 (.31%) are Asian, 4 (.15%) are Native American, and 6 (.23%) have that data unavailable. These were constructed in unincorporated areas : Since 2012, MDOC has reduced the number of prisoners it has in private prisons due to an overall reduction of prisoners in the state, aided by changes to sentencing and parole laws in 2008 and 2014. As of March 2017, three private prisons hold Mississippi prisoners: The remaining three are closed for MDOC operations. Men may have hair that

2760-696: The Justice Department reported that conditions at the facility were inhumane due to years of neglect by the state. Mississippi State Penitentiary is in an unincorporated area in Sunflower County, Mississippi . The prison which occupies 18,000 acres (7,300 ha) of land, has 53 buildings with a total of 922,966 square feet (85,746.3 m ) of space. As of 2010 the institution can house 4,536 inmates. 1,109 people, as of 2010, work at MSP. Most of MDOC's agricultural enterprise farming activity occurs at MSP. Mississippi Prison Industries has

2852-489: The MDOC and Epps, seeking damages and punitive damages. Hood said, These individuals and corporations that benefited by stealing from taxpayers must not only pay the state's losses, but state law requires that they must also forfeit and return the entire amount of the contracts paid by the state. We are also seeking punitive damages to punish these conspirators and to deter those who might consider giving or receiving kickbacks in

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2944-516: The MSP property. As of 1971, guards patrol MSP on horseback instead of on foot. The rear entrance is protected by a steel barricade and a guard tower. In 1985 Robert Cross of the Chicago Tribune said "The physical surroundings – cotton and bean fields, the 21 scattered camps, the barbed wire enclosures – suggest that nothing much has changed since the days, early in this century, when outsiders could visit Parchman State Penal Farm only on

3036-525: The Mississippi Department of Corrections has 26,274 inmates in its custody. 17,677 (67.28%) are Black, 8,269 (31.47%) are White, 236 (0.9%) are Hispanic, 43 (.16%) are Asian, 27 (.01%) are Native American, and 22 (.06%) have that data unavailable. Of the 23,692 male inmates, 16,366 (69.08%) are Black, 7,030 (29.67%) are White, 222 (.94%) are Hispanic, 35 (.15%) are Asian, 23 (.1%) are Native American, and 16 (.07%) have that data unavailable. Of

3128-519: The Mississippi State Penitentiary, while female death row offenders are housed in the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility . The Mississippi state prison system ended conjugal visits in February 2014. The commissioner at the time, Chris Epps , argued that the possibility of creating single parents and the expenses were the reasons why conjugal visits ended. Previously MDOC contracted prisoners to local and county governments, in essence paying

3220-512: The Parchman main entrance. The rear entrance is about 10 miles (16 km) east of Shelby , at MS 32. Known as the "Back Gate", this entrance was closed from 2017 to 2022 to stop smuggling of goods. A private portion of Highway 32 extends from the main entrance of MSP to the rear entrance of MSP. U.S. 49W is a major highway used to travel to MSP. The prison facility is located near the northern border of Sunflower County . The City of Drew

3312-852: The Rankin Farm in 1895 in Rankin County , 12 miles (19 km) from Jackson; it is now the site of the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility . Later the state purchased the Oakley Farm, located in Hinds County , 25 miles (40 km) from Jackson. The state government purchased land in Sunflower County in January 1901, where it developed the Parchman Farm (now Mississippi State Penitentiary ). The prison properties were largely self-sufficient, raising their own crops and livestock, as well as commodity crops such as cotton for

3404-577: The Riders in Alabama, and the federal government intervened. Finally the governors of Alabama and Mississippi agreed to protect the riders, in exchange for being allowed to arrest them. The Governor of Mississippi , Ross Barnett , did not permit violence against the protesters, but arrested the riders when they reached Jackson, Mississippi. By the end of June, 163 Freedom Riders had been convicted in Jackson and many were jailed in Parchman. On June 15, 1961,

3496-515: The State of Mississippi passed a law written by Ruleville-based state senator Robert L. Crook that allowed Parchman employees to use up to $ 60 ($ 498.51 when adjusted for inflation) every month to pay for educational costs for their children. As a result some Parchman employees sent their children to North Sunflower Academy , and the State of Mississippi used general support funds to pay for some of North Sunflower Academy's transportation costs, including school buses, bus drivers, and gasoline. According to

3588-428: The ability of MDOC to reduce the number of prisoners; one of these authorized the department to place most "persons convicted of most drug crimes to be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Both the state and private prison operators have had difficulty maintaining staffing in prisons because of low wages and high turnover. By 2011, MDOC operated below capacity due to the success of its efforts to reduce

3680-496: The accommodation was made fit for human habitation, and the trusty system , (where lifers were armed with rifles and set to guard other inmates), was abolished. The state was required to integrate the prison facilities, hire African-American staff members, and construct new prison facilities. In the 1970s, the Governor of Mississippi William L. Waller organized a blue-ribbon committee to study MSP. The committee decided that

3772-437: The back wall, and a bunk bed. We were permitted one shower per week, and no mail was allowed. The policy in the maximum security block was to keep lights on 24 hours a day. Fankhauser described the meals: Breakfast every morning was black coffee strongly flavored with chicory , grits , biscuits and blackstrap molasses. Lunch was generally some form of beans or black-eyed peas boiled with pork gristle, served with cornbread. In

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3864-495: The commercials that aired in New Jersey. Mississippi State Penitentiary Mississippi State Penitentiary ( MSP ), also known as Parchman Farm , is a maximum-security prison farm located in the unincorporated community of Parchman in Sunflower County , Mississippi , in the Mississippi Delta region. Occupying about 28 square miles (73 km ) of land, Parchman is the only maximum security prison for men in

3956-526: The courts or who are returned to MDOC as parole violators, probation violators, ISP violators, ERS violators, and suspension violators are placed in 1A or 2B at CMCF. Male death row inmates transferred from county jails immediately are sent to the Mississippi State Penitentiary , the location of the male death row. Each prisoner receives a security classification. The classifications are: In November 2014, media reports indicated

4048-657: The department housed each prisoner at a cost of about $ 42.12 per day, one of the lowest costs in the nation. The system's chief medical officer is Gloria Perry. She has been in that position since 2008. She is certified in family-practice. MDOC contracts with Centurion of Mississippi, LLC. Previously, MDOC contracted with Wexford Health Sources, Inc. , headquartered in Green Tree, Pennsylvania , near Pittsburgh . Wexford provides medical services to inmates at state-operated facilities. Each privately operated facility has its own contracted medical services provider. Wexford

4140-399: The department housed each prisoner at a cost of about $ 42.12 per day, one of the lowest costs in the nation. He also noted that the state's recidivism rate was among the "lowest in the nation." But, the state spends more than $ 15,000 annually for each prisoner, about three times what it spends for each school student. In 2013, the agency budget for prisons was about $ 389 million, according to

4232-478: The dramatic climb in the number of prisoners and demand for space, the state legislature authorized MDOC to enter into contracts with for-profit prison management companies for the construction and operation of private prisons in the state. By the early 21st century, the state had contracts with operators of six private prisons. Civil rights groups and prisoner advocates have filed class-action suits in efforts to improve prison conditions and protect prisoner rights. As

4324-480: The establishment of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, six officers have died in the line of duty. The New Jersey Department of Corrections , the state prison system of New Jersey , established the "Be Smart Choose Freedom" television advertisement campaign in 2005. The State of New Jersey produced 30–60 second public service announcements to warn state residents against going to prison. MDOC decided to start its own "Be Smart Choose Freedom" campaign and use

4416-412: The evening, it was the same as lunch except it was cold. The Governor of Mississippi , Ross Barnett , visited the farm a few times to check on the activists. He reportedly told the guards to "break their spirit, not their bones". The governor ordered the activists to be kept away from all other inmates and in maximum security cells. With that order given, the Freedom Riders were stuck in their cells for

4508-669: The female death row, was for a time the only state prison in Mississippi designated as a place for female prisoners. For much of the 19th century after the American Civil War , the state of Mississippi used a convict lease system for its prisoners; lessees paid fees to the state and were responsible for feeding, clothing and housing prisoners who worked for them as laborers. In 1900 the Mississippi State Legislature appropriated US$ 80,000 for

4600-668: The fifth Sunday of those rare months containing more than four." MSP has two main areas, Area I and Area II. Area I includes Unit 29 and the Front Vocational School. Area II includes Units 25–26, Units 30–32, and Unit 42. Seven units house prisoners. As of the 1970s and 1980s, the prison grounds had small red houses that were used for conjugal visits . The prison offered conjugal visits until February 1, 2014. Six units currently house prisoners. Units that currently function as inmate housing include: In 2010, MDOC classified 13 units as "closed housing units". All of

4692-402: The freedom riders to remove their clothing and undergo strip searches. After the strip searches, Deputy Tyson met the freedom riders and began intimidating them. He began by mocking the Freedom Riders, telling them since they wanted to march all the time, they could march right to their cells, and he would lead them. "When they arrived from Jackson, they were stripped of their clothing, and given

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4784-622: The future." Besides Teresa Malone and Carl Reddix, the defendants included Michael Reddix; Andrew Jenkins; Management & Training Corporation; The GEO Group , Inc.; Cornell Companies , Inc.; Wexford Health Sources , Inc.; The Bantry Group Corporation; AdminPros, L.L.C.; CGL Facility Management, LLC; Mississippi Correctional Management, Inc.; Branan Medical Corporation; Drug Testing Corporation; Global Tel*Link Corporation; Health Assurance, LLC; Keefe Commissary Network, LLC of St. Louis; Sentinel Offender Services , L.L.C. and AJA Management & Technical Services, Inc. In March 2017, Pelicia E. Hall

4876-463: The inmate's prior escape and prior destination. That might have caused his re-capture sooner, because Wilson traveled the same way. Some MDOC farming operations occur at SMCI. Luke Woodham - Perpetrator of 1997 Pearl High School shooting . 31°10′35″N 88°36′25″W  /  31.17639°N 88.60694°W  / 31.17639; -88.60694 Mississippi Department of Corrections The Mississippi Department of Corrections ( MDOC )

4968-510: The inmates and provided their room and board, often substandard. The state made substantial amounts of money from these arrangements, which created an incentive to have minor infractions criminalized in order to arrest more people and sentence them. Increasing the number of crimes for which persons could be arrested, such as vagrancy, resulted in an increased pool of prisoners to lease out, as many could not raise enough cash to pay fines or fees that were sometimes imposed. Most prisoners were freedmen;

5060-468: The internal audit building, is on Guard Row. The Sunflower County Consolidated School District serves children of employees residing on the grounds of Parchman. Students are zoned to A. W. James Elementary School in Drew for elementary, Drew Hunter Middle School in Drew, and Thomas E. Edwards Sr. High School (formerly Ruleville Central High School) in Ruleville . Residents were previously zoned to

5152-530: The largest state prison systems in the country, with a rising number of persons incarcerated even as crime rates fell. A disproportionate number and percentage of African Americans and other people of color have been incarcerated under these policies. In addition to the major state prisons, the state developed many community detention centers for prisoners with lower security classifications. They were provided as workers to numerous locales, in part to prepare them for reintegration into society after release. Because of

5244-401: The late 2010s SMCI faced a combination of severe budget cuts, low levels of enforcement officer staffing, and conditions dangerous to staff and prisoners. State senator and Leaksville native Dennis DeBar drew a direct connection between the prison's staff vacancy rate of just under 50% -- half of its necessary jobs filled—and the offered starting salary of $ 25,000 per year. An investigation by

5336-660: The late 20th century, the state dealt with the rising need to incarcerate individuals by contracting with private prison management companies, who built and operated a total of six prisons for state prisoners in Mississippi. Corrections Corporation of America and Cornell Companies were two early contractors; the latter was acquired by GEO Group in 2010, which took over its three contracts in Mississippi. Prisoners and their families made numerous complaints about conditions in these facilities, citing high rates of violence and sexual abuse, rampant drugs, lack of medical care and education, and other problems. Class action suits were filed by

5428-411: The male death row —all male offenders sentenced to death in Mississippi state courts are held in MSP's Unit 29—and the state execution chamber . The superintendent of Mississippi State Penitentiary is Marshall Turner. There are two wardens, three deputy wardens, and two associate wardens. Female prisoners are not usually assigned to MSP; Central Mississippi Correctional Facility , also the location of

5520-483: The most part with little to do. They reportedly enthusiastically sang Freedom Songs, mostly direct descendants of slave spirituals. They made up songs to fit their new place. As the 45 Riders struggled in prison, many others were heading South to join the Freedom Rides. Winonah Myers was one of the women who went South and was eventually jailed for her activism. She witnessed the treatment first hand. She

5612-448: The new facility. The BBC filmed Fourteen Days in May (1987) at Parchman. The documentary followed the last two weeks of the life of Edward Earl Johnson , who was executed in the prison's gas chamber . In 1997, several prison guards were arrested, accused of illegally interfering with prisoner mail. On March 18, 1998, the legislature made another amendment: removing the gas chamber as

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5704-614: The other prisons housing other racial and gender groups. In 1909, the State of Mississippi acquired 2,000 acres (810 ha) adjacent to the MSP territory, resulting in MDOC having 24.7 sq mi (64 km ) in the Mississippi Delta. As time passed, the state began to consolidate most penal operations in Parchman, making other camps hold minor support roles. In 1916, MDOC bought the O'Keefe Plantation in Quitman County , near Lambert . Originally this plantation

5796-419: The prison includes numerous health and safety concerns including broken toilets, sinks and showers, unsanitary kitchens, cells with dangerous electrical fittings and inmates sleeping without mattresses. Photographs illustrating the concerns were included. The 2020 Department of Health report indicates that some progress has been made, but still includes a list of sanitary concerns running to 14 pages which include

5888-423: The prison is not like Alcatraz , because it is not centralized in one or several main buildings. Instead MSP consists of several prison camps spread out over a large area, called "units". Each unit serves a specific segment of the prison population, and each unit is surrounded by walls with barbed tape . The perimeter of the overall Parchman property has no fencing. The prison property, located on flat farmland of

5980-465: The prison operator CCA had contracts with California and other states to house their prisoners at this privately owned site. By March 2017, MDOC was using only three privately run prisons for its inmates. In early 2017, Interim Commissioner Pelicia Hall (appointed in March 2017 as Commissioner) conducted raids for contraband at these private prisons, collecting much material. She is determined to reduce

6072-426: The prison population and returning non-violent offenders earlier to their families and communities. Changes in sentencing laws dramatically increased the prison population. In 1995 the state legislature passed a law requiring all prisoners to serve 85% of their sentence. The prison population more than doubled from 1995 to 2007, from 11,250 to 22,800, far outstripping capacity of the three state prisons. Beginning in

6164-545: The prison population. As of 2011, the state prisons were below capacity by more than 2,000 spaces. With private prisons included, that was about 4,000 beds below capacity. MDOC closed the Delta Correctional Facility in January 2012, and Walnut Grove Correctional Facility in September 2016. By early 2017 Mississippi had no state prisoners at the for-profit Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility ;

6256-405: The prison territory located to the west of the main entrance. The main entrance, a metal gate with "Mississippi State Penitentiary" in large letters, is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 49W and Mississippi Highway 32 , on the west side of 49W. The Mississippi Blues Trail marker is located at the Parchman main entrance. Passersby are not permitted to stop to photograph buildings at

6348-404: The prison. A Federal Department of Justice Civil Rights investigation began in February 2020, to examine whether prisoners were adequately protected from violence in Parchman and three other Mississippi state prisons, whether Parchman failed in its responsibility for suicide prevention and mental-health care, and whether there were excessive use of solitary confinement in Parchman. In April 2022,

6440-620: The prisons themselves. This includes millions paid in bribes related to awarding of state contracts, drugs and other contraband being smuggled into facilities by the guards, sex between staff and inmates, and other abuses. Epps was charged with receiving $ 1.47 million in bribes and kickbacks, related to $ 800 million worth of state contracts made over about a decade. Both Epps and McCrory pleaded guilty in 2015 and cooperated with investigators on identifying others responsible. Eight other indictments followed, with one waived and more expected. Defendants include consultant and businessman Robert Simmons, who

6532-498: The purchase of the Parchman Plantation, a 3,789-acre (1,533 ha) property in Sunflower County . What is now the prison property was located at a railroad spur called "Gordon Station". The state of Mississippi purchased land in Sunflower County in January 1901 to establish a state prison. In 1901 four stockades were constructed, and the state moved prisoners to begin clearing land for crop cultivation. The land

6624-419: The rate of recidivism , showing that prisoners could be paroled earlier for certain types of crimes without affecting public safety. In 2008, the state passed SB 2136, to enable non-violent prisoners to again be eligible for parole after they had served 25% of their sentence. The new law was estimated to affect "approximately 4,500 inmates, or about 25% of the 22,800 total population. A unique feature of SB 2136

6716-472: The same concerns, with the exception of missing mattresses. Photographs are provided. During 2019 and 2020 there were a series of inmate deaths. The Commissioner of the Department of Corrections resigned at this time. Eight prisoners died in January 2020 through suicide or violence. Later in January 2020, it was reported in the press that the prison had closed Unit 29 due to infrastructure issues, and

6808-490: The state Attorney General's office into the escape of a felon inmate named Michael Wilson in July 2018 found that SMCI was hampered from communicating or coordinating with other agencies, posing risk to public safety. The prison had no apparent command structure, did not use expected radio frequencies, was not aware of the inmate's absence for two hours while he interacted with Leaksville citizens, and did not share information about

6900-580: The state closed the prison in September 2016. The ACLU and SPLC filed suit against the East Mississippi Correctional Facility , established for prisoners with serious mental illness, in 2013. The class-action suit at East Mississippi Correctional Facility is proceeding; the court affirmed the status of the plaintiffs in 2015. At the same time, the state was seeking to reduce the prison population. Studies had found that minor reductions in length of sentence did not affect

6992-474: The state government sent the first set of Freedom Riders from Hinds County Prison to Parchman; to make the protesters as uncomfortable as possible, they were put to work on chain gangs. The first group sent to the farm were 45 male Freedom Riders, 29 blacks and 16 whites. A call went out across the country to keep the Freedom Rides going and "fill the jails" of Mississippi. At one time, 300 Freedom Riders were imprisoned at Parchman Farm. The prison authorities forced

7084-457: The state of Mississippi , and is the state's oldest prison. Begun with four stockades in 1901, the Mississippi Department of Corrections facility was constructed largely by state prisoners. It has beds for 4,840 inmates . Inmates work on the prison farm and in manufacturing workshops. It holds male offenders classified at all custody levels —A and B custody (minimum and medium security) and C and D custody (maximum security). It also houses

7176-569: The state should abandon MSP's for-profit farming system and hire a professional penologist to head the prison. On July 1, 1984, the Legislature of Mississippi amended §§ 99-19-51 of the Mississippi Code; the new amendment stated that prisoners who committed capital crimes after July 1, 1984 would be executed by lethal injection . In the mid-1980s, several state law enforcement officials and postal inspectors went to Parchman to end

7268-438: The state to sell. All the labor was by prisoners. The state Department of Corrections was established in 1976 to oversee the existing Mississippi state prisons. Both federal and state laws were passed during various campaigns of "wars on crime" and "wars on drugs;" not only were new behaviors criminalized, but politicians supported mandatory sentencing and lengthier sentences. By the end of the 20th century, Mississippi had one of

7360-433: The state used this system to extract labor from former slaves and keep them suppressed socially. The state officially changed its policy at the end of the 19th century, saying that prisoners sentenced by the State could no longer be hired or leased by third parties, effective after December 31, 1894. After ending the convict leasing system, the State of Mississippi began to acquire property to build prisons. The state bought

7452-431: The state was prohibited from using solitary confinement for any youthful offender. WGCF was converted to be used for adults only. MDOC ended its contract with GEO Group, awarding a 10-year contract to Management and Training Corporation for Walnut Grove and two other private facilities, effective July 1, 2012. The court supervision of conditions at WGCF was extended because of two prison riots in 2014. Due to declining need,

7544-530: The system on September 8, 2010, and suggested that it provided a model for other prisons to use to reduce contraband cell phones. Due to the installation of the system, between August 6, 2010 and September 9, 2010, more than 216,320 texts and calls were blocked. Between 2014 and 2020, $ 215 million was cut from the Mississippi Corrections budget, resulting in increasing pressure on all Mississippi prisons. The 2019 annual inspection report for

7636-649: The traffic in contraband, which contributes to corruption in the prisons, including among the guards and staff. As a result of a five-year statewide investigation known as Operation Mississippi Hustle , in November 2014 the federal Department of Justice announced indictments of former Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps (who resigned the day before) and Cecil B. McCrory, a businessman and former Republican state legislator, on 49 counts of corruption, bribery and kickbacks. Newspaper reports have indicated widespread corruption related to contracts for prison services, and within

7728-502: The units in the prison that formerly housed prisoners and no longer function as inmate housing include: "Guard Row" is the area where employees of MSP and their dependents live. As of the 1970s "Guard Row", a nickname for the main road that bisects the prison, has identical wood frame houses, most of which had been built in the 1930s by the Work Projects Administration . Around 1971, the state charged employees

7820-413: Was that it was applied retroactively in order to have an immediate impact on the prison population and to ensure equity in the sentencing process. About 3,000 inmates or 12% of the total population had already met their time-served requirement and were immediately eligible for parole consideration." To aid prison officials and parole boards in assessing candidates, the Bureau of Justice Assistance developed

7912-519: Was a separate institution, the Lambert Farm. The facility later became Camp B. By 1917, the Parchman property had been fully cleared. The administration divided the facility into a series of camps, housing black and white prisoners of both genders. By 1917 12 male camps and one female camp were established, with racial segregation maintained throughout. The institution became the main hub of activity for Mississippi's prison system. In 1937, during

8004-457: Was appointed by Governor Phil Bryant as Commissioner; she is the first woman to hold this position. An attorney, she has extensive criminal justice and private law experience. In 2020 Burl Cain became the commissioner. Before going to their assigned facilities and after their transfer from county jails, most prison inmates are sent to the Reception & Classification Center (R&C) in

8096-495: Was arranging for prisoners to be housed in prison facilities outside of Parchman. However, Unit 29 has remained open. The 2021 Department of Health Report contains a three page list of health, safety and hygiene deficiencies identified in the Unit 29 accommodation for prisoners. In February 2020, a federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of over 150 inmates by rappers Jay-Z and Yo Gotti regarding "inhumane and dangerous conditions" at

8188-481: Was awarded the $ 95 million MDOC contract in 2006. Previously MDOC contracted with Correctional Medical Services (CMS), headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri , near St. Louis . CMS's contract began on July 1, 2003. MDOC's Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) is the authority's house arrest program. MDOC performs executions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary . Male death row offenders are housed in

8280-743: Was sentenced to 87 months; former mayor of Walnut Grove, Mayor William Grady Sims, who was prosecuted earlier and sentenced to 7 months; former legislator and Republican businessman Sam Waggoner, former Harrison County Supervisor William Martin, who committed suicide before arraignment; former Alcorn County warden and Democratic state Senator Irb Benjamin, Dr. Carl Reddix, Terese Malone, Mark Longoria, and Guy "Butch" Evans. On February 8, 2017, Mississippi Attorney General, Democrat Jim Hood , announced he had filed civil cases against 15 corporations (including those that had operated Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility and had provided other services to prisons) and numerous individuals who had engaged in contracts with

8372-613: Was treated just as the men were, with bad living quarters and worse clothing and meals. Although most of the Freedom Riders were bailed out after a month, Myers was the last to leave. The riders' experiences at Parchman gave the Freedom Riders credibility in the Civil Rights Movement . In 1970, civil rights lawyer Roy Haber began taking statements from inmates, which eventually ran to 50 pages detailing murders , rapes , beatings and other abuses they had suffered in Parchman from 1969 to 1971. Four Parchman inmates brought

8464-527: Was undeveloped Mississippi Delta bottomland and forest, fertile but dense with undergrowth and trees. Around the time the Mississippi State Penitentiary (MSP) opened, Sunflower County residents objected to having executions performed at the prison. They feared that the county would be stigmatized as a "death county". Mississippi originally performed executions of condemned criminals in their counties of conviction. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History says that MSP "was in many ways reminiscent of

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