This is a hard message to write.
At a time when we are all so excited in Natchez about our 40th Balloon Festival and the beauty of fall in our historic city, the oldest city on the highest bluff of the mightiest river, my heart hurts for those across our state who have been affected recently by violent crime. The headlines have been spread across the front page of every newspaper in Mississippi, and the shootings at recent sporting events have jarred so many Mississippians, including many right here in our own community.
On the weekend of Oct. 10, as we celebrated many great events in Natchez, from Junkin’ on the River to Natchez Homecoming, the opening of our Downtown Pumpkin Festival to the ribbon cutting at our new Dixon Books Bookstore, I thought life couldn’t be better.
That all changed on the afternoon of Oct. 11, when news began arriving of a very different scenario taking place in other areas of our state. I was heartbroken and couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Within 24 hours, countless communities across Mississippi had been forever altered. Young people in the prime of promising lives had either become victims of or witnesses to horrific events. For some of those seen running or sheltering from gunfire, life will never be the same.
This should not be. In fact, no person in Mississippi should be afraid to go outside their door for fear of becoming a victim of violent crime. But for many, this is becoming more and more the case. And for some, even in certain areas of our own city, families no longer feel safe in their own homes for fear of random gunshots that may at any time pierce the quiet darkness of night.
It is past time to address violent crime in Mississippi. The time is now. I do want to applaud Mississippi Commissioner of Public Safety Sean Tindall and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation for their fast response to incidents on college campuses, high schools and communities in recent days. Their fast work has been impressive—and very much appreciated. But a long-term solution is clearly needed.
Eighty-Percentitis
Going forward, we must do more than treat the symptoms. We must treat the cause. And I believe the culprit is a major “illness” now infecting communities across Mississippi. I call it “Eighty-Percentitis”. Local law enforcement and others across our state have told me that 80% of the violent crime affecting our communities is being perpetrated by repeat offenders, and in many cases, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat offenders. I challenge anyone to investigate recent incidents and prove me wrong.
Just this week, a retiree of the Mississippi Highway Patrol and a former sheriff told me something I’ll never forget. “Rarely does anyone start with shooting people. They work up to it, building confidence every time they get away with other crimes. The violent offenders are always repeat offenders.” Chilling words—and we are living with this reality today. In time, if not treated, Eighty-Percentitis is going to kill our state. No one wants to live where they don’t feel safe. It’s just that simple.
Over the past few months, I have been urging state leaders to help us. Many of these leaders have responded with great positivity. Some even travelled many miles just a few weeks ago to meet with members of the Southwest Mississippi Mayors’ Association here in Natchez, and for this I am very grateful.
I am also grateful for the support of numerous colleagues across the state, mayors and other local officials who have stepped forward to help, including leadership in the Mississippi Municipal League. This is not the time for pointing fingers. We all share responsibility in the problem and we all need to be a part of the solution.
The problem is complex. To start with, bond guidelines set by the Mississippi Supreme Court need revision. Bond amounts are too low, and too much concern is given to the accused and not enough to the victim. Mississippi’s Victim’s Bill of Rights needs to be followed and inserted into every bond decision. And judges who release accused killers and would-be killers need to be required to provide written justification of their decisions on release and bond amounts in violent cases, just as federal judges are required to provide written justification for all of their decisions.
In addition, penalties for violent crime need to be increased and better enforced—especially those for assault on law enforcement. It is getting harder and harder to recruit police officers. They need all the support they can get. More funding is needed for Mississippi’s crime labs. And more funding is needed for law enforcement in general.
Let us pray that we as a state can come together with solutions. Now is the time. Because Natchez and Mississippi deserve more.
This MFP Voices opinion essay reflects the personal opinion of its author(s). The column does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. To submit an opinion for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and sources fact-checking the included information to voices@mississippifreepress.org. We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints.
