Earlier this week, Clergy for Prison Reform held a summit on the urgent need for criminal justice reform in Mississippi. During the summit, advocates highlighted the need for policies that safely reduce prison, jail, and supervision populations, and eliminate hurdles for people trying to get back to work and support their families.

The convening brought together Mississippi faith leaders and state legislators to discuss the importance of passing comprehensive criminal justice reform this legislative session. Participants uplifted recent steps the state has taken to address its third-in-the-nation incarceration rate, while emphasizing the ongoing need for sentencing and pretrial reforms.

Clergy for Prison Reform President Dr. CJ Rhodes called for lawmakers to put politics aside. He demanded that those in power “Do it now. Do not wait because it’s an election year. We need to make change happen in Mississippi.”