COPIAH COUNTY, Miss. – Jail administrators across Mississippi are forming a unified organization to improve how detention facilities operate, addressing challenges from mental health care to staff retention.

The Mississippi Jail Administrators Association was founded by Charles Cunningham, who oversees the Copiah County Jail.

“As situations evolve and times evolve, we have to evolve as well,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham said detention centers face new challenges that more teamwork through the organization can solve.

“We’re having to house a lot of individuals that have some degree of normal to elevated degree of mental illness,” Cunningham said. “Most jails in Mississippi are not ready for that type of situation.”

Addressing resource gaps

Benny Ivey spent most of his life incarcerated until he was 35.

“State of Mississippi sent me to prison four times and never offered me drug treatment,” Ivey said. “When all of my issues stem from addiction.”

Through the Mississippi Jail Administrators Association, Cunningham said all county and regional facilities can communicate better and get updated training.

“We want to make sure that they’re treated humanely,” Cunningham said. “We want to make sure that they’re treated properly, and we do that by training administration of the jails. Making sure every jail is up to standards and up to training. One thing that my jail may be going through that another jail hasn’t yet could be easily communicated so that jail can be prepared for.”

Cunningham said solid training methods statewide can attract more staff.

“You’ll maintain retention of officers,” Cunningham said. “They’ll be more eager, knowledgeable in their careers. We want this to not be a job, we want this to be a career for life.”

Re-entry programs

After his release, Ivey launched Strong Arms of Mississippi to counsel inmates to turn their lives around once they’re released.

“When it comes to the stability of neighborhoods and safety of neighborhoods, I would say that those correctional officers and leaders probably have even more hand in what these men and women coming home can contribute to society,” Ivey said.

Ivey’s charity works closely with Rankin County’s Detention Center.

“There’s a lot of jails around here that could really take lessons for how they’re doing things,” Ivey said. “I had a three-hour meeting with Sheriff Bailey about re-entry. Because Strong Arms is really interested in working with 18 and up on workforce development and re-entry because I know a job and a trade for some of these men and women getting out of prison can save their lives.”

The organization is the first of its kind in Mississippi. Other states have similar versions of an administrators association, including Colorado, Virginia and Alabama. Just under 30 administrators have joined. Cunningham said they’ll hold their next group meeting in June as they keep recruiting.

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