Many of us have not walked in their shoes have not made poor decisions that would permanently affect their lives and the lives of others. We are merely asking that they be able to serve out their sentences as human beings and not animals. We recognize that there are people incarcerated in the MDOC for due cause–that they may be considered a danger to society-and so we are not asking for them to serve one less day than they are required. It is as immoral as it is counter-productive.įor if a goal of incarceration is rehabilitation, how can we ever hope to return these men to society when the extreme neglect and dangerous conditions under which they are subjected strips away every last bit of self-worth? The humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Mississippi today, as we write this letter, is sending the exact opposite message to your state and our country. We have correspondenced with those on the inside and outside of the system and, to be honest, the images are extraordinarily troubling and haunting and run counter to every lesson we've ever been taught.

You also gave thousands of inmates and family members even a small glimmer of hope that they had a governor unafraid to look at problems with fresh eyes.īut we are writing today to sound the alarm as the MDOC situation is growing more dire by the moment and demands immediate action. This became apparent when you pledged to ensure the safety and preserve the human dignity of all of those incarcerated within the Mississippi Department of Corrections, whether through guilt or circumstance.Īlso, your very public rebuke of “business as usual” sent a strong message to local civic and business leaders that, whether they supported you or tried to thwart your message of change: you were not content to merely rock the boat in Mississippi, but to change the boat, if necessary. We reacted to the news with optimism, knowing your reputation as a fair and decent man. To the Honorable Tate Reeves, Governor of Mississippi,įirst we would like to congratulate you on your election as the 65th Governor of Mississippi.

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