Mississippi stands out for continuing to grow its jail and prison populations while other states are safely reducing theirs. In addition to the state's overuse of incarceration, an estimated 175,000 Mississippians have a current or old felony conviction, each with hundreds of hidden consequences such as excessive fines and fees, bans on employment, and the loss of voting rights.
Mississippi voters across the political spectrum support bold criminal justice reforms. In fact, four out of five registered voters believe it is important to reduce the number of people who are incarcerated, and only three percent want to spend additional tax dollars on jails and prisons.