Mississippi Matters: Criminal Justice Reform

16 WAPT and the United Way present Mississippi Matters.

This'll is Mississippi matters inpartnership with the United Way of thecapital area.Hello, everyone.

I'm Erin Pickens andwelcome to this week's edition ofMississippi Matters.

Criminal justicereform has been a hot topic around thecountry and here in Mississippi, andthis week, our guests are going toexplore more about this topic we havewith us this week.

A day list Thomas.He's a retired NFL player and alsoplayed college ball right here inMississippi at the University ofSouthern Mississippi.

Also, we haveMaurice Clifton.

He is the president ofan organization called Sale.

He's gonnatell us a little bit more about thathere in just a few moments.

But unlesswe want to start with you, tell us moreabout your efforts to work withcriminal justice reform, and you'vedone something right here in HindsCounty.Yeah, one of the things we did atAscani said, a perform when you haveDemocratic or Republican people thatare going for local investment.

Lookoff this and really talked about beingable to vote in people coming out tovote because everybody understands thatvoting is important for thepresidential election, But they don'treally participate as much in the localelections in your local legend offiction.

Boarded anything?

Would yourdistrict attorney, your judges, yourcomment of the Superior Courtpeople in the circuit, so always isimportant, too.

Bloody boat.

That's one.The things we did has set up a platformso that constituents could get a chanceto talk and speak with the people thathave been there and allowed the thingsgoing on for years and years andsomeone to come in.

That was new toforce your opinion.

A lot of times oneof the guys don't show up because hedoesn't want to answer questions aboutconstituents.

And so that's one ofthings that we did and hides it, saidtheir platform up and then come out andhave a discussion about it.

What is itmotivated you to get started with thiseffort?You know, just seeing people treatedfairly.Dustin biggest issue that you have iswatching people that you know don'thave.

Boys don't have our and beingable to be in a position where peoplelike football, and that's what the mainsports are made, events that you haveUnited States people enjoy.

Think offootball in a list of football players.Not that they're saying somethingdifferent than the other people that'sliving it, but it's because they feellike your voice matters.

So you knowyour voice to people that doesn't havea voice and your hope and give themopportunity to be heard viewing yourboysand Maurice.

You're the president ofsale.

Tell us what sales stands for.And also tell us about your journeywith the criminal justice system.Okay, Sale stars for stands for citiesadvocacy.

In this, Stephen leaves yourproblem, and it was created basicallyout of necessity, because I'm aformerly incarcerated person.

I started23 years in federal prison for firsttime now about a drug offense, and sowhen I was released from prison sevenmonths ago, January 10 I don't have thenecessary resource is that wereafforded me under the second chance at.So they promised to contact me and tohelp me re integrate back into society.But you know, it's been a challenge,but nonetheless, you know, I wanted toform an organization to help helpsformerly incarcerated people transitionback into society, and I also want towork with every skier's to kind ofguide them off the past because theyonly takes one mistake.

So I didn'twant them to may.

I don't want them tomake the same mistakes that I meanbecause I was a straight a student inhigh school, and so I didn't want tothem to take the wrong path, you know,So it's OK for them to be different.

SoI wanted to create an organization thatworks with kids,off incarcerated parents and at riskkids, even in the Jackson Metro and allover the state of Mississippi.

So myorganization basic created tobring us together or to create a dividebetween the dependent incarceratedparent and the incarcerated child waswith without their parents.And you also did some work you saidwhile you were incarcerated to makesure you were able to have someadvantages when you got out as well.Correct.All right, what idea was the?

Well Itook every class I could here, and onething I did was I got certified toteach in CCR and which I want to alsobring that to Jackson because it is soimpaired to that.

We as formerlyincarcerated people, have a trade Whenwe come out, it is hard by the job.People frowned upon you when you go andtry to apply for a job once they findout to the Jew been incarcerated andfor the number of years that I havebeen incarcerated.

So what I did, I gotcertified as a sap technician, So I'mable to use the SAP software andproduction.

I did that for 19 years inUnicord Destiny Industries.

You know,it's a it's a door double s ward.People say that the industries in thefederal system keeps us incarcerated,but actually and helps us tobecome gainfully employed and teach usGil.

So I learned to type by type ofabout 60 descended five words a minute,And so I took everything that I couldwhile I was incarcerated so that Iwould have a better chance to,uh, not really fan.

So going back toprison not hops for me, and I want toensure that my brothers and sisters whowere coming out of prison have the sameopportunities.

Iand you said you've been out sinceJanuary.

Correct?Yes, ma'am, says James, 2 10 How havethings been going for the past fewmonths?Who, man?

It's been a rough, but youknow, it's been it's been a challenge,so to speak.

But, you know, I havefamily and low ones who helped me makethe transition.

And did I have a burn,a burning desire to succeed?

While Iwas incarcerated, I learned that creditis everything.

So I worked on my credit.So I came out with her 700 plus creditscore.

So that has opened up a fewdoors for me.

And so also why trainingthat took inside has enabled me topossibly start NCC are here in theJackson area and work with a couple ofdays to get that implemented into someof their training.

So I want to treatyou know, I told classesfor about 15 years.

While I wasincarcerated, I told Reenter class Ideveloped a class call breaking tieswith teachers guy how to break theircriminal thinking.

So we have the firstchange within before we can even comeout and thenbe ready for society.

You know, like aDeLacy is just is they turn you loosein the middle of the night.

If I hadnot had not prepared myself to be aproductive citizen, then it would havebeen easy for me.

It's easy for me toreally fan and to go back to the streetthan it is to actually employ myself.And I say that.

But I want to change.You know, I had to change for me.

Youknow my son.

So I have, you know, foursons.

I lost one of my sons rightbefore I came home, and I always taughtthem to be their own independentbusinessman.

So while I was inside, wecreated an organization called to Blackwhere each one of them do.

One of mysons do tattoos.

So here's this toblack art.

My other son does apparel.So here's this to black apparel so thateverything is under that banner.

So wecreated our own clothing line to wherewe can feel the need to force to spendout money with, you know, with with ourown culture, you know?

SoI want to do the same thing in my townabout by you and in the Jackson areaand all over the state of Mississippi.So I want to empower kids torealize that they can become their ownboss and teach that spirit ofentrepreneurship, you know, at an earlyage.

And to put them to stay away fromthe streetsand the dailies.

When you hear storieslike Maurice is, what do you think?

I'msure you hear stories like his all thetime,man.The crazy thing is, no matter.

How didyou hear?

It doesn't get any easierthere because you should hear storieslike someone is a first time offenderspending 23 years in jail.

I made it isit is It's heartbreaking, you know, youknow that you have four signs, but Iwould say that I commend you and theefforts that you don't just to educateyourself.

I think the state shouldappoint you as creating a curriculumfor people to get out of jail.

Youteach each prison I put a programtogether that goes, it will go for thegovernorwho you know, he told the one thatallow people get out of jail.

You're aperfect example of someone that hasbeen through it, done it.

And there'snothing like experience go througheverything else, but being that you inthere and you did a hard time and youknow the ins and outs of the system,What person in their needs, what islike to be on the outside,the unit unit units, You're a greatstory.

It's almost like a movie.And for our viewers who are out therewho, you know, they hear about criminaljustice reform all the time.

And theythink, you know, it says a huge topic.And, you know, like, what?

What can Ido to help out with something like this?What are some things that people on theoutside can do to get involved withcriminal justice reform?Get involved in your local electionright to the like for Mississippi.Specifically, I would write to thegovernor accent.

Why did he vetoed abill that would have released thousandsof inmates that are that are notviolent, not by my father.

We'retalking about appealing.

That wouldhave reduced a serious over crowding.The prisons do the Kogan 19 or evenbefore that, and it passed ateverything, which would have been agreat start to cutting back on it Butthen government Reeves comes in andjust be towed it at the surface of it,and so are challenged peopleMississippi to right and understand.Why did you veto this bill?

And what isyour plan to do anything about theprisons that are in Mississippi, where50 people already died in a prison,which is more than some states likeTexas, Florida and other places that Ihaven't had that many people to die?They had 50 already issue.Keep it right here, everyone.

Wecontinue our conversation on criminaljustice reform after the break.Welcome back, Everyone to Mississippimatters.

We're continuing ourconversation on criminal justice reform.We're talking now about how educationplays a huge role in this topic.

Ourguest today are a daily's Thomas andMaurice Clifton, a daily.

We want tobring you back into this conversationabout how education is connected tocriminal justice reform.You know, education is hand in, andwith itCohen, 19 is far more created.

A biggergap due to, you know, effect thateducation, negligee and employees areby income by race or being fundexacerbated by this pandemic.

So youlook at the justice everyday from pre Kto 12 plays out of the state.

Localeducation funding is inadequate.Disparities are are bad and the desertdivide because everything went onlinelearning where you have going homesthere can't afford WiFi so they can'tget the things off basic needs thatthey need.

So that's one.

The thingsthat we're really trying to do is pushthe FCC to make WiFi and digital stuffavailable and rule aerials and lowincome barriers that make it moreaffordable.

When you have someone thatdoesn't have a education and speakingto them,they can't comprehend properly.

But youhave to steal.

That's when they get introuble with your mouth reading scoresin Mississippi or 49 50 on compared ona consistent basis.Mississippi is just one of those whenyou look at Alexander vs home in thecourt case, where they looked at thedisparity of segregation and howblacks being at West Cool white inanother school in the disparity of testscores, all those things are the Deltais just more stories that you just hearabout Mississippi.

So it's veryimportant to spend more money oneducation and you get the return onyour investment by having bettercitizens.

Dr. Citizens who pay taxesaim be a good citizen to societyinstead of putting money to the prisonsystem and being more debt andpunishing people for non violent crimes.I m or is you mentioned when you wereincarcerated that you used education tohelp you?

You said you took every classthat you could.

You've been taught someclasses while you were in their talk.More about how education helped youwhile you were incarcerated.

And how ishelping you now that you're out?Well, the biggest thing in the biggestway having it when I first went in in1997I wanted totake every day my my reintegration backto side of started then.

So I knew thatI had to be take everything I could.

Sofirst thing I do with typing, I didn'tknow how to type.

So I learned how totype and what it did it betterequipment to find the best job insidewhich was unique or most institution.It was unique or so I end up getting tothe business off.

And so I told reentryand I knew that a lot of guys I sawcoming back, they were re dependent.They didn't know how to write a resume,the same dicho skills that they use inprison or the same one that they useoutside.

So I learned this system ofhow to effectively write a resume.

So Itold resume writing, scare, interviewskills, anything to do with reentry.You know how to get a job, how to dressfor success.

And so we did.

I am.

Thestaff were so impressed with some ofthe problems I was doing.

They let meparticipate in job Fair.

So we createdmy job as and do.

We did seminars wherepeople came in from the outside toteach guys some of the same skills.

Youknow, so one of things that if thereanybody who's incarcerated a Watson, Iencourage you, man.

If you insidelearn a trade, take every class you can,because it's not easy out here.

Youhave to be ready to fight the appealballot because people are going alreadyjudge you based on you beingincarcerated.And so that's one of the things thatprepare me.

They're building prisonbased on our key is reading level,you know?

So like Like Adela said,Mississippi is like at the bottom ofthe totem pole.

So we have to get ourkids up to part in the education systembecausewhen they're reading school has comeout there saying that, uh, we needanother prison over here in the Deltabecause these guys are not going babyto be productive citizens.

So we'regonna build a place for them.

So theyhave monetize the prison system insteadof putting money in education like aDeLacy.

So I just think it's unfair toour kids to go to the citizens of thestate of Mississippi and over theUnited States to watch them Billprisons to house our kids.

One in everythree blackmail would go to prison.That's a statistic.

One in every sevenwhite milk, 17 white Hispanic male andone in 14.

You know white males will goto prison.

So what?

Attending you dayfor every three kids that you seewalking on the street, one of themwould be in prison before he's 17 andthen we'll end.

Our kids get caught upin the criminal justice system, inearly age.

What that does is all yourjuvenile charges that you have, whetherit's true or anything that's on yourrecords.

So in the federal system, theyuse that to sentence you and give youmore time.

So this is something thatthey're not doing.

We have to like likeAdela said, we got to do on the locallevel.

We gotta start in nominemunicipalities, educate each otherother things that were going around inthe system.

And you also mentioned toMaurice about communication, educationand communication on the inside.

Evencommunicating with the staff inside theprison is important.Yes, What I did was while I was there,Beau Biden they had a group to come inand started Gavel Club.

So we end uptransferring that gavel Gavel Club isis, uh, all shoot of Toastmasters.

So Iend up starting a toast masses, and Isaw the change in the different guysbuild up their confidence andcommunications, allowing them to beable to communicate with each other andwith staff.

There's a great dividewithin the criminal justice system ofhow staff interacts with inmates.

Sowhat, toastmaster dear for me and a lotof the guys that I saw.

It breathes thegap of communication you can understandand you have the confidence to approachof staff and to explain your problem tothem.

So I end up starting toToastmasters in Yazoo, inside out, andso Toastmasters Justice to say, is thatwhen you guys have faked able tocommunicate with staff that he's lesslikely to real fan and he build someconfidence to even on a job interview.So so many things that toastmaster dearfor me on the inside.

So there's anyway,there's there, any institution around.They should start with this, the localjail, anything, and I think that theyshould even do it.

They havetoastmaster for kids, so I want tostart a toastmaster organization.

I'mlooking to join one here, Jackson, butI like to start toastmaster within thepublic schools to teach kids theconfidence of of speaking to theirpeers of their sales or anything, justprobably communication skills.And today lives.

I know that you againformer NFL players you have tried towork with people on, you know, thelevel of, you know, the professionals,the leaders and the stars to helpbridge that gap toe work with theprisoners.

The kind of help get thosewho have to work with the prisoners.Teoh, get those.

Resource is to them todo these things right?We have, you know, But I think thebiggest thing in Mississippi is theyneed to close part.

You know, there isno fixing it.

It doesn't matter who isthe warden.

Doesn't It needs to dodramatically.

It would dramaticallyreduce the population across the state,increased parole eligibilityopportunities and the individualfinished long.

They need to get rid ofit.

And so all those days could go tochange.

But parking facility itself isa problem, and you can't fix it.

Itneeds to close.

Is that is the biggestissue that they have because it is somany different belts in there that goesuninvestigated and loved ones justmoves belt ones.

And we continue tosend people there.

Although there arenonviolent offenders and is just dayany stores, like my man said, his starswith the school always being in schooland then, you know, used to be inschool and getting something trouble,and you go sit in time out of thatoffice.

Now they have offices there tolike you up or take you away.

And thenit goes on your record.

And then I saidit starts to pipeline to the prison.

SoI feel that the biggest issue thatMississippi had is department prison,which needs to be closed at all costs.We will be watching legislation, and wewill be pushing to close it because itisun.

You made the way that the facilityis that where they talk to each other,and it needs to be something done aboutit.

We treat animals better than we do.The humans in their placekeep it right here, Everyone, our finalthoughts are coming up next.Welcome back, everyone.

We're wrappingup our conversation on criminal justicereform.

All right, Maurice won't hityour final thoughts.What my father thought is thateverybody in Mississippi needs toground in power with letters, phonecalls to the governor's office to havehim, too Reina to reinstate 2123 on thefederal level, I just think everybodyneeds to do the same thing.

If you havesomebody who was incarcerated, you'vegot to give with your local electedpeople to try to get them involved inthe bill making process and a lot ofmaking process.

There's a lot of thingsthat needs to be changed.

It's an honorto have been here today, man.

We justgot to stick together and to fight forthose who are incarcerated and be theirvoice.

Thank you a daily.I have to pick it back on what he said,Man, when you look at what Murray said,talking about 2123 you talk about yourMississippi and you look at this wouldhave gave you know about the pesticidesbefore parole.

At 25% of the Senate'speople convicted or more seriousoffenses between 95 2014 would havebeen held about 50% of their sentence.That right there would have been 50%for 30 years.

So when you look at that,this bill would have come a long way tohelp reducing serious overcrowding.

So,like Murray said, write your senator,your current has been peacefullyprotest with the governor to reinstatethis bill because it is the right thingto do, contribute like my sense acreate change.

Contribute to the changein your local and state governmentpolicies to advocacy that impactsprobably suggested reform legislation.Educate yourself, understand what yourrights are and demand your local futuretoe.

Hold the higher officials account.Thank you so much a day less.

Thomasand Maurice clipped him for this week'sConversation on Criminal Justice Reformand thank you all so much for watchingthis week's edition of MississippiMatters.