Mississippi Delinquency Services Summary
Mississippi is a combination state. A single state executive department, the Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services, administers most services to delinquents in Mississippi, encompassing delinquency intake, diversion, juvenile probation, commitment, and aftercare. However, secure detention is administered at the local level, as are limited juvenile probation services in a few counties.
|
Mississippi Detention Services
How is detention organized?
Secure detention in Mississippi is organized and administered at the local level with some facilities having regional catchment. Ten facilities currently exist in the state, administered by county and city government, county boards and commissions, youth courts, and local law enforcement departments.
|
Statute 43-21-357 outlines the ways that youth court intake units may handle delinquency referrals. Among the program options available to the counselors at intake are community-based intensive youth supervision programs for first time delinquent offenders, status offenders, and children in need of supervision (CHINS); Volunteer Services Program referral networks; and a transitional living center voluntary group living program.
|
Mississippi Victim Rights and Services
Mississippi’s Victim Bill of Rights ( 99-43) specifically extends rights to victims of juvenile violence,
|
Mississippi Probation Supervision
The Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS), administers juvenile probation services through seven Community Service Divisions. However, juvenile probation officers (called youth services counselors) work out of offices in the local youth courts as opposed to regional state offices.
|
Mississippi Probation Officer Qualifications, Certification, and Training
Information concerning the qualifications, certification, and training of youth services counselors is currently unavailable from the Division of Youth Services.
|
Mississippi Commitment to State
Youth court judges can give legal custody of youth directly to any public or private organization able to assume the education, care, and maintenance of a youth, which the court finds to be suitable. By law, they can also give legal custody to the Department of Human Services (DHS) to find an appropriate placement generally, or specifically commit to DHS for placement in a wilderness training program or a Division of Youth Services (DYS) operated training school ( 43-21-605).
|
Mississippi Release from State Commitment
Mississippi does not have a juvenile parole authority. Rather, the Division of Youth Services (DYS) makes the release decision for youth committed to its legal custody, but law requires DYS to notify the committing youth court of decisions to release a youth to parole.
|
Mississippi Aftercare/Reentry
The Division of Youth Services (DYS) administers aftercare services through seven Community Service Division offices. Institutional staff develops aftercare plans for youth returning to the community from institutional placements. The youth services counselors assigned to the youth also have reintegration plans for state commitments and direct private placements.
|
Mississippi Purpose Clause
Mississippi’s purpose clause is rooted in the Standard Juvenile Court Act. Enacted in 1925 and revised numerous times, The Act proposed the idea the each child coming into court jurisdiction shall receive the care, guidance, and control that will be conducive to his welfare and to the best interest of the state. If the child is removed from the home, the court will provide care as equivalent as possible to that of his parents.
|
Mississippi Delinquency Jurisdiction
Lower Age: 10
Upper Age: 17
Extended Age of Delinquency Jurisdiction: 19
|
Mississippi Risk and Needs Assessments
Currently, a statewide screening tool is not used to make detention decisions. No data was available on the use of assessments in probation or aftercare decisions.
|