A Mississippi law that took effect July 1 expands parole eligibility, and lawmakers are looking at programs that could help people make the transition from prison back into the free world.
House and Senate committees met Wednesday at the state Capitol to gather ideas from several people, including prison and parole officials in Alabama, a leader of a nonprofit group that helps former inmates and an executive of a software company that coordinates services for people leaving prison.
One common theme in the presentations was that people who have been incarcerated fare better in the next phase of their lives if they they receive guidance in practical matters such as getting a driver’s license, finding a place to live and finding a job.