Imagine you’re sitting in prison for drug possession. You hate drugs because they control your life. They are the reason you got sent to prison in the first place and the reason you keep ending up in a prison cell. Drugs are also why you have no hope that your life will improve—even after you’re released.

That’s the stark reality for Brian Bolling of Mississippi. Brian has been in and out of prison his entire life on drug-related charges. Brian’s story is one of thousands that inspired Empower Mississippi to take on reforming the state’s criminal justice system.

Empower Mississippi recognized that for Mississippians trapped in the cycle of drug addiction and incarceration, there’s no way out. Drug rehabilitation programs in prison are ineffective, and the state’s harsh laws for ex-offenders make it nearly impossible for them to find work after leaving prison.

That was the reality for Brian. Even though he is a nonviolent offender battling a severe addiction, the state has routinely locked him up and offered little to no rehabilitation for his disease. So Empower Mississippi got to work.

The organization began a criminal justice reform campaign with a listening tour around the state. They met with practitioners, employers, and impacted communities to learn about the barriers facing people trapped in this cycle. They used those insights to guide research on the best policy solutions possible.

Equipped with personal stories like Brian’s and in-depth research, Empower Mississippi built coalitions with other groups doing work in criminal justice reform. Then they began working with legislators to discuss opportunities for enacting change.

HB1352 is the culmination of Empower Mississippi’s campaign.

In March 2019, the Mississippi legislature passed HB 1352, known as the Criminal Justice Reform Act, and sent it to the governor’s desk where it is expected to be signed into law. This important bill helps people trying to improve themselves after being released from prison. It also reforms the system that puts many nonviolent people there in the first place. HB 1352 expands expungement eligibility, letting more reformed Mississippians with nonviolent offenses clean up their records. This change will allow thousands of ex-offenders to be considered for a job on an even playing field with any other qualified candidate.

The Criminal Justice Reform Act also expands drug courts in Mississippi and encourages the implementation of mental health courts. These sentencing options provide individualized treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Mississippi is also one of several states that still suspends driver’s licenses for non-driving related offenses. HB 1352 will end this practice and ensure that people aren’t denied the ability to drive to work simply because of an unrelated criminal conviction.

Thanks to the reforms in this bill and the support of Empower Mississippi, Brian—and many other—will be able to receive essential treatment and build a brighter, more prosperous future. This is just the beginning of Empower Mississippi’s campaign to ensure the state’s system not only delivers justice, but also helps people succeed.