Legislative Group: Parole Board Faces Backlog

BY EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. – A legislative watchdog group says some Mississippi inmates are not receiving parole hearings the first month they’re eligible, and that’s causing the state to spend extra money to keep them in prison longer than necessary.

The Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee released a report Monday about how the Parole Board handles its work load.

The report recommends that the board and the Mississippi Department of Corrections work together to produce up-to-date lists of inmates who become eligible for parole each month.

The report says the Parole Board should determine whether it needs to hire more employees to handle a backlog of work.

It also says the Department of Corrections should take steps to ensure that crime victims receive money more quickly from inmates who are ordered to pay restitution.