2015/05/01 – The Mississippi Department of Corrections announced its plan to end the Join State County Work Programs beginning Aug. 1.

The new head of the department, which was cut $12 million this past legislative session, said the change will allow the department to redirect $3.2 million to other budgetary needs.

Inmates will be moved from the programs in 30 counties to the agency’s 17 community work centers, where they will still perform work for counties, according to a press release from MDOC.

In a letter sent to a county sheriff, Fisher said the community work centers are not currently at full capacity with inmates.

“As a result, there is unused capacity at each of the CWCs that needs to be utilized to obtain maximum efficiency,” Fisher wrote.

CWCs are incarceration alternatives where some inmates may finish serving their sentences. At the centers, they perform work for cities, counties, state agencies and charitable organizations.

Fisher, the former head of the state Bureau of Narcotics, was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant after former Corrections Commissioner Chris Epps resigned after his indictment on corruption charges late last year.

Source: The Clarion-Ledger 

Kate Royals