Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Jay Hughes: The Prison Powder Keg

This post is a paid advertisement. 

Prisons in Mississippi have become a powder keg, with a lit fuse. Not because of the prisoners, but because of the employees – the lack of them. Of course it matters a lot more when one is in your back yard, but this is an issue that impacts all of Mississippi. What’s happening is that living wages and public safety of working Mississippians and nearby residents are at Code Red level.


One prison in South Mississippi needs 275 staff members to be accredited and provide education and training to the prisoners to help them successfully re-enter society as contributing, productive citizens. However, it only had 125 staff members last month? 125! Without enough staff providing these training programs, the return of former prisoners who have underlying mental illness and addiction to everyday life in society can severely affect the likelihood of recidivism as well as raise the expense of corrections in our current annual budget of $300 Million.

Low pay and dangerous work conditions make it difficult to retain workers, and almost impossible to attract new ones. Employees assigned to work 12-hour shifts must be prepared to work 24-hour shifts with the expectation that there will be no one to relieve them. This affects both the employees and the incarcerated. It’s now just warehousing people with classrooms going unused, inmates not allowed out of their cells for fresh air and exercise, and employees being over-worked and in fear for their lives daily. That impacts everyone.



Current political leaders proclaim that “We cut taxes” or “We shrank government!” It sounds nice, but the reality is harsher. The impact is low wages and high turnover of those who protect us, our loved ones and communities. It is imperative that we pay living wages and give raises to our state employees, and not just every 12 years or in elections years. Allowing this cycle to continue is jeopardizing the safety of all Mississippians.

Mr. Hughes is a State Representative and candidate for Lieutenant Governor. 


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bring back the chain gangs. Do away with TV, don’t set the air conditioning to below 85, and do away with the education programs unless it is to teach them a trade. Prison in Mississippi is a right of passage for many of our residents who live in that culture. Make it miserable again.

Anonymous said...

It's the same ole story for Mississippi. Once upon a time Mississippi had a penal system that didn't cost much money, the prisoners worked, fed themselves and helped clean up the state. They also didn't come back after they got out. That's because they were so beaten and abused that it crossed the line in a "civilized" society and had to be stopped. If Mississippi had just not been so damn Mississippi our penal system might be the model for the whole country. Now we have to pay for our past and we ain't got the money. Mississippi.

Anonymous said...

Parchman Penal Farm had armed trustees 4 decades ago. There are several documentaries on YouTube that contain footage of stripe clad prisoners with long rifles and shotguns guarding other prisoners. How did it work for so long before the federal government put an end to it?


Parchman Farm on YouTube

I'm not surprised to see that a politician's solution to a problem is more government.

Anonymous said...

As a conservative I do not consider more spending to be a solution to any problem. More state employees and more PERS benefits recipients for taxpayers to support is no solution.

I think the better solution would be to decide if it is worth spending millions of our tax dollars to prosecute and incarcerate people for offenses such as being in possession of organic plant materials.

Yeah that's a real solution. Stop locking people up for ridiculous reasons. Think about it Jay.

Anonymous said...

Pay raises for state employees and more of them?

What dumbass consultant did this guy hire?

Cynical Sam said...

Bring back the "tank judges." Those are inmates given special privileges for keeping the rest of the inmates in line. Very cost effective, and effective in general.

Qualifications: The biggest, meanest, MoFos in the yard.

This also teaches them a trade - they can be security guards/bouncers when they get released.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone noticed that this Jay Hughes guy is literally the only candidate in recent history who pays JJ for advertising and then allows others to make comments. His willingness to do this seems to support his claims of transparency and willingness to tackle the issues and even opposing viewpoints. I’m starting to care less about politicians who have the same conservative views I do and more about the ones who expose themselves to attack and are as transparent as they say they are. I can’t imagine what government would be like if we had a Lt. Gov. who actually gets legislation done out in the open rather than the back room deals we’ve seen with LG Reeves the last 8 years.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.