Mississippi Scores:
Sentencing
Parole Eligibility &
Grade: 
State Overview
Recent reforms expanded parole eligibility in Mississippi to include some violent offenses most nonviolent offenses, except for those serving a habitual sentence.
While the state saw relatively stable parole grant rates since the enactment of legislative reforms, rates plummeted in 2022, declining by half. Compassionate release options are extremely limited, applying to almost no one who is not otherwise eligible for parole.
Details
Broad Eligibility
Most nonviolent offenses are eligible for parole in Mississippi, except for those serving habitual sentences.
30/40 points
Good Behavior Incentives
Earned time is available for some crimes of violence, but other offense types are excluded for arbitrary reasons that do not correlate with risks associated with offense types. These exclusions are problematic from a public safety perspective because they deny incentives to those convicted of serious offenses.
15/30 points
Efficacy
Mississippi's parole grant rate declined by half in 2022, contributing to an increase in the state's incarceration rate. This abrupt change in parole consideration stands in stark contrast to the legislature's efforts to expand parole eligibility.
5/20 points
Geriatric Parole, Medical Parole, and Compassionate Release
Mississippi’s compassionate release laws are extremely limited, applying to almost no one who isn’t otherwise eligible for parole already.
0/10 points
Sources
https://www.pewtrusts.org/-/media/assets/2018/07/pspp_reform_matrix.pdf
https://www.fwd.us/news/mississippis-ongoing-incarceration-crisis/