Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – Two-year-old federal investigations into Parchman Farm, Mississippi State Penitentiary have found unsafe prison conditions. This included solitary confinement as well as a lack mental health treatment. These factors contributed to violent inmates.

As civil rights advocates demanded urgent reforms at Mississippi’s prison system, the Department of Justice opened probes into Parchman as well as three other Mississippi-operated prisons. Investigations of the other three prisons continue.

Kristen Clarke is the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department. She oversees the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Clarke stated that 12 inmates died from suicide and 10 were killed during the last two years at Parchman. The Parchman prison riots began Dec. 31, 2019 and continued for several weeks.

According to a statement by the U.S. Justice Department, “The Justice Department determined today that, based upon a thorough investigative, there is reasonable cause believe that conditions at the Mississippi State Penitentiary (also referred to as Parchman), violates the Eighth Amendment to the U.S Constitution”.

According to the Department, Mississippi could face a lawsuit if it fails to address the issues raised by the Wednesday revelations.

According to the Justice Department, Mississippi repeatedly violates people imprisoned at Parchman’s constitutional rights by failing to provide sufficient suicide prevention and protection against violence.

It also provided Mississippi with a copy of its supporting facts in a 59-page findings letters.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves indicated that Mississippi recognized its challenges and was working to solve them.

In a press conference before the release of the DOJ’s report, he stated to reporters that “I know we have made significant progress at Parchman during the last two years.”

On Wednesday, the Department of Corrections of the state did not respond to our request for comment.