Mississippi is currently incarcerating people at a higher rate than the national average. Some 19,000 people are currently in state custody and another 30,000 are on parole or probation. Mississippi Today asked the campaigns of leading candidates for their views on criminal justice. They also wanted to know what they thought about mandatory minimum sentences in the federal system, and how they feel about Mississippi’s current prison conditions. According to news reports, the White House has put on hold a prison reform bill and sentencing reform bill until after the midterm elections. The House had approved the First Step Act in May. It would include measures to reduce recidivism such as vocational training and rehabilitation programs. The legislation’s progress has been stalled by debates over whether it would lower federal mandatory sentencing maximums. This is because conservatives such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions or U.S. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas are staunchly opposed to sentencing reform. Senators. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde Smith indicate that they are open for such legislation. “Sen. Melissa Scallan, campaign spokesperson, said that Hyde-Smith holds the greatest respect for those who enforce laws to protect our communities. “The senator is closely following the ongoing debate about sentencing, prison, and criminal justice reforms and will carefully examine any legislation that comes to the Senate for consideration.” The United States has the highest incarceration rates in the world. Wicker stated that he believes criminal justice reform is worth a discussion in this country and praised the Trump Administration’s efforts in moving the ball forward. “It is important to review mandatory minimums and evaluate their effectiveness as part of this debate. I will continue listening to both sides on this important issue.” “Minor drug offenses and heinous crime” challengers. Although Mike Espy is not the main challenger to Hyde-Smith in the Nov. 6, special election, they do have one thing in common: drawing a distinction between those who’ve been convicted of violent crimes and those who are punished for nonviolent offenses. McDaniel, a Republican state senator, stated that a broadening criminal justice reform would only give votes to Democrats. McDaniel stated in an email that while there are some opportunities to improve the criminal judicial system for non-violent offenders — and to ultimately lower the government’s intrusion into peaceful people’s lives — an increasing violent cohort of Democrat thugs and Congress’s refusal of funding the border wall would seem not to militate against going soft upon crime, regardless of how badly Democrats wish to add a new and motivated voter bloc to the electoral calculus.” Espy, who is the leading Democrat in this race and was the former secretary to agriculture under the Bill Clinton Administration, admitted that the country has a high rate of incarceration. He also said that some of those in prison were there due to insufficient counsel or inadequate evidence or they are serving lengthy sentences for non-violent crimes. As a matter public policy, I believe the penalties for convictions of non-violent offenses need to be reviewed. There are many options, including lowering penalties for minor and soft drug offenses. It is important to explore rehabilitation options that allow offenders reach their full potential, rather than long incarceration that burdens taxpayers.” Wicker’s Democratic challenger David Baria (D-Bay St. Louis), is possibly the most policy-oriented candidate in the Senate race on criminal justice reform. Baria is a strong opponent of federal mandatory sentencing. He called it “as inefficient as it is unforgiving.” Baria stated that entire generations of black and white men have been locked up for minor drug offences and are now languishing behind bars. Between 2003 and 2013, when mandatory minimums were introduced at the federal level we have seen the prison population rise to 2.2million, 60% black, and 60% Latino. Baria stated that these policies had not made us safer, but have dramatically increased our prison population nationwide. Baria cited data showing that almost 5 million black children had a parent in prison. He also cited studies that showed that workers who were formerly inmates earn 10-40 percent less than those with a similar history of imprisonment. “I believe there should be a complete overhaul of federal policy regarding the war on drugs. This war has been fought for many years, and we’ve been losing every front. Baria stated that the solution is not to lock up more people for longer. Instead, federal judges and prosecutors should have the right to decide when and how they charge and sentence. Mississippi prison conditions in August: The Department of Corrections reported 16 deaths of Mississippi prisoners in August — an unprecedented number in the past six years. This raised national concerns about transparency and health care in Mississippi’s prisons. In September, five deaths occurred in custody. Although the deaths are primarily under the state’s control, the department announced that an FBI investigation would be initiated for transparency. The question of whether Mississippi’s prisons could become a federal matter, as if they were violating the Eighth Amendment which prohibits cruel and unusual punishments, is being asked by the department. McDaniel did not answer the question. Hyde-Smith declined to give a statement, as the issue was not federal and had not been determined the causes of death. A spokeswoman for the department said that they had not yet completed their investigations into at least two deaths. However, Pelicia Hall, Mississippi Today’s prisons commissioner, identified at least one of those deaths in September as a homicide. Wicker called the death toll “alarming” but expressed hope that state officials would take the matter seriously. Espy suggested that the governor and the legislature investigate the deaths. Baria was the only candidate to comment on the deaths in the month that they took place. “As a nation, we have the obligation under the 8th Amendment that ensure no one is subject to cruel or unusual punishment. Thus, we are responsible for the protection and well-being of all of our citizens, even those who are incarcerated.”