MS 'Rethinking Reentry' conference to focus on criminal justice, resources
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
In Mississippi, people face many barriers to restarting their lives after prison and this week, the "Rethinking Reentry" conference will focus on helping them succeed.
Mississippi has one of the world's highest incarceration rates, with more than 1,000 people locked up for every 100,000 residents.
Yahaira Battiata, community outreach administrator for the DirectEmployers Association, said her organization will be part of the conference to network with employers and community-based organizations hiring people who have served their sentences, and who may need help with compliance and recruitment challenges.
"We help employers bridge the gap between recruitment marketing and OFCCP compliance. We assist them with online recruitment, DEI and compliance," Battiata outlined. "My role is to connect community-based organizations who have any kind of diversity program, any kind of employment or job readiness program."
The nonprofit Mississippi Center for Reentry hosts the one-day in-person and virtual conference Aug.1, at Tunica Resorts. Participants will hear from people who have been in jail or prison and those who work with them, on how to improve reentry services.
Elizabeth English, a criminal justice advocate, said at the conference, she will discuss how her son being charged as an adult at 17 and her grandson's murder in 2020 have intensified her fight for justice.
"I'll be speaking on several different things," English noted. "Transparency within our judicial and law enforcement, that's a big problem. Habitual offender is a big issue, and drives mass incarceration nationwide; and if I can get a word or two in about no-knock warrants, and the dangers that poses."
English added her advocacy work also involves reaching out to lawmakers and local law enforcement to explore ways to improve Mississippi's criminal justice system.
Andre De Gruy, Mississippi state public defender, said he will join English and other speakers for the "Reentry Talk" panel discussion. They will discuss how the state can potentially improve things from a legal advocacy perspective.
"I'll be talking about the public defender system, so people maybe have a better understanding of how it's working, how it's not working," De Gruy explained. "What are the things that we want to do, like having standards for public defenders, so that public defenders know what they're supposed to be doing?"
De Gruy noted for the last few years, legislation has been proposed to establish standards for public defenders in Mississippi, subject to Supreme Court approval, on issues like data collection and workload limits. The bill passed both House and Senate last session, only to be killed on a procedural motion.
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