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N.Y.C. Council speaker calls on Mayor Eric Adams to resign; KY could do more to protect kids from accidental drug ingestion, shootings; OH food banks face fed funding uncertainty, DeWine budget cuts; Protesters say Trump administration actions 'cast aside democracy.'

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On a Middle East visit, Sen. Richard Blumenthal rejects a Gaza takeover. President's Day protests erupt around the country against White House moves, and another aviation accident draws attention to recent FAA cuts.

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Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Standard probation conditions set Mississippians up for failure

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Monday, December 9, 2024   

A new report offers a detailed look at "standard" conditions for probation in Mississippi and nationwide, affecting nearly 3 million people.

The "One Size Fits None" report highlighted probation regulations across 76 local and state jurisdictions.

Wanda Bertram, communication strategist at the Prison Policy Initiative, explained standard probation conditions apply universally within a jurisdiction, apart from any extra requirements from judges or probation officers. She noted financial obligations are among the most burdensome for those reentering society.

"Mississippi standard conditions of probation require you to pay a monthly fee, and that's irrespective of whether you can really afford it," Bertram pointed out. "If you can't afford it, you can just go into debt to the probation department. About two thirds of people in Mississippi on probation, are making less than $20,000 a year, and that monthly probation fee is $55."

The report recommended state and local lawmakers reform probation rules by reducing probation use, revising rule violation responses and focusing on essential conditions. It also highlighted areas actively working to lower probation revocations.

Bertram noted many states require people to pay probation fees regardless of their financial situation. In some states, probation officers can mandate drug tests at their discretion. She added research has shown no direct link between drug use and reoffending while under supervision.

"People who are struggling with substance use disorder do not need jail," Bertram contended. "They need treatment, and they need treatment that is good enough that they will choose it. Instead, what probation does is coerce a lot of these people into surveillance, we argue in our report that's one of the requirements states should be doing away with."

Bertram added the report showed many jurisdictions restrict travel for people on probation, which can hinder women's access to abortion care in states like Mississippi, North Carolina, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Pregnant women need approval from probation officers for out-of-state abortions, which some may avoid due to privacy concerns.


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