JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Hinds County is making a few changes this year, but there are still some questions left. Hinds County Supervisor Robert Graham, District 1, said being efficient and effective is the goal.
“We have to have a balanced budget every year. So, we have to start looking at our money early every year. And that’s what we’re doing,” he stated.
Graham told WJTV 12 News that the board is re-evaluating the Hinds County Re-Entry Program. The program was designed to assist those who were incarcerated by integrating them back into society to become productive citizens.
“This particular department had a $300,000 budget, and 93% of the budget was being spent on nothing but salaries. And never you spend that amount of money with salaries. It leaves very little money for you to be effective in any sort of way with the clients that you’re dealing with,” said Graham.
The supervisor said taxpayers’ money would be better spent on paving roads, repairing bridges and fixing potholes.
The Hinds County District Attorney’s Office also has a re-entry program to help those who were once imprisoned.
“We know that Mississippi spends more than $30,000 a year on each individual’s incarceration, but we know to run programs for alternatives to incarceration, you need people who need resources. We believe the benefit for having those programs far exceed the costs when you could get individuals to not go back into the system,” said Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens.
While the program for the District Attorney’s Office is funded through Grants, Owens agreed with Graham when it comes to more funds being allocated to services rather than salaries.
Owens said re-entry is the key to success and safety in Hinds County.
“And anybody who has a family member or a loved one knows that oftentimes they go back in the system, because they only know that life in an on the street life. And we have to give them choices, employment and opportunities to be successful,” the district attorney said.
Graham added that the board is also evaluating five or six other programs the county has funded in the past.