Jackson Jambalaya

I’m not sure MDOC should be leading the discussion. Too much turf to defend. I think they are being reactive because there is already so much talk about the subject and MDOC is part of the problem. Gotta get out in front of it until it blows over.

Nothing credible about the guest speaker.

Obviously missing from the list of preferred attendees are EMPLOYERS who have jobs to offer. Will someone please tell me how elected officials, non-profits and faith based groups are going to put these folks to work? Or is there some other sort of objective - such as enrolling them in some useless program that survives on a grant? WTF?

Gotta get out in front of it until it blows over.

Therefore, good spin control mgmt on MDOC's part.

Self-cannibalize or be cannibalized.

Since the MDOC only exists if there are criminals, why would I trust them to want to reduce the criminal population? High recidivism equals more money and jobs for MDOC.

It's no different than asking cops how to reduce crime, when cops WANT crime. Crime equals more funds and more cop jobs.

How about rehabilitating "families" that have parents called "baby-daddy" and "baby-mamma?" Kids who have no idea who their father is? Kids raised by "auntie" or "grandma?"

Same as the drug trade. Dealers make more when it is scarce and illegal and cops can play soldier and confiscate property. Dealers, the corrections industry and cops depend on the public staying addicted and drugs staying illegal.

This is akin to legislators getting advice on bridge weight limitations from the trucking industry lobby.

"Correctional" programs = BIG dollars to play with, results don't matter. We just want to appear like we're doing something.

Appearance is everything. This will be just empty words with no concrete plans to truly help. If they really wanted to make a difference, they'd teach the teachable inmates a legal marketable skill while incarcerated and line up willing employers so they can support themselves after release.

KF, you probably will not publish this but I have to say it. The key note speaker is extremely wealthy and has never worked an honest day in his life other than perhaps when he was in the military. What of value could he possibly tell them? To make restitution to their victims? He never did that so he obviously doesn't think that is a necessary step in the recovery process. He is pandering for attention AGAIN because he insatiably craves it, and he still thinks his bar license can be reinstated through "good works" so he can resume his former practices. What a joke.

One of my duties as a young, green state employee in the late sixties was partnering with Parchman's 'pre-release program' in an effort to develop employability skills and find employers willing to hire. One of the DOC Parchman employees I worked with was a young Willie Simmons, now a state senator.

That was FIFTY years ago. Between then and now there have probably been fifteen or more programs designed to accomplish the impossible same thing. So now, fifty years later, Zeus is going to tell us how to go about it?

Several rebuttals- I've heard Scruggs speak at St. Andrews regarding his efforts and it is worth hearing. MDOC is to be applauded in trying to address recidivism. And there are more jobs than people to fill them, so there may be a chance this will be a successful effort.

6:48...Are you anticipating another 'look at my post-conviction contributions to society' speech or something that will lead to gainful employment for released convicts? And if the latter, why do you reckon only public officials, ministers and non-profits are targeted to listed to his self-serving hour and a half?

Your comment regarding 'more jobs than people' is not an earthshaking revelation. We all know that. But, how does this speaking engagement deal with that reality, given the intended audience.

If this circus is going to work, anywhere, the audience needs to be major employers and agencies involved in training programs and work orientation efforts.