While the legislative session is suspended, state leaders are working to respond to the coronavirus outbreak in Mississippi. An outbreak in the state’s prison system could only exacerbate the prison crisis as it poses immediate health concerns for those incarcerated as well as those working in the facilities. Meanwhile, a policy set by legislators in 2018 allowing virtual check-ins for those on probation or parole has been implemented statewide. Mississippi imposes a number of requirements of people on community supervision in the state, some of which can make it more difficult for people to find and maintain employment.

Until this change in policy, most individuals on supervision were required to meet with their supervision officer face-to-face every month. These meetings can often entail a long drive, a longer wait, and a day away from work without pay. Recognizing this, the Mississippi Legislature passed a provision in 2018, HB 387, to encourage corrections officials to use virtual check-ins when possible to minimize disruptions to employment. While it’s unclear to what degree the Mississippi Department of Corrections utilized virtual check-ins since the passage of HB 387, it appears that this option was not made available across the board. Now that the department is looking for ways to implement social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19, virtual check-ins have become the norm.  

With Mississippi public schools closed and state testing cancelled this year, the state’s education system has undergone a sudden transformation. Nearly every student is now learning from home, and students, along with their parents and teachers, are adjusting to a new normal. What no one could have foreseen earlier this year has prompted urgent questions about the availability of broadband access, electronic devices, and virtual learning platforms.

Empower Mississippi believes this shift has brought to light several opportunities, including the opportunity for Mississippi to catch up to other states offering full-time virtual education options. As the CARES Act recently passed by Congress is implemented and stimulus dollars flow to individuals and states, conversations about how to expand educational opportunity and flexibility in uncertain times and beyond are ongoing at both the federal and state levels. Issues that existed before school closures are also being seen in a new light.