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Impact of Employing Justice-Involved Individuals: Mississippi

Recidiviz and Right on Crime

(September 2021)
Impact of Employing Justice-Involved Individuals brief cover

Mississippi has the third highest rate of incarceration in the country. As a result, more than 10.55% of Mississippians – over 235,152 – have a felony conviction. The unemployment rate for formerly incarcerated people is over 27%—nearly five times higher than the standard U.S. unemployment rate, and higher than unemployment during the Great Depression. 

The lack of employment opportunities impacts not only individuals with a criminal history but also their families and especially children. Even modest reductions in family income can impact children’s educational, health and employment outcomes.

This brief from Recidiviz and Right on Crime details the negative impact of the lack of employment opportunities on individuals with a criminal history in Mississippi and explores the opportunities afforded by the expansion of employment among this group of people. 

Resource Type
State Studies and Inventories