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To: Judiciary, Division B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Senator(s) Barnett
SENATE BILL NO. 2796
AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI VIOLENT CRIME TASK FORCE; TO 1
CHARGE THE TASK FORCE WITH STUDYING VIOLENT CRIME CLEARANCE RATES 2
AND STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION, AND 3
DETERRENCE OF VIOLENT CRIME; TO PROVIDE FOR MEMBERSHIP, 4
ORGANIZATION, DUTIES, AND REPORTING; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 6
SECTION 1. Legislative findings and purpose. (1) The 7
Legislature finds that violent crime undermines public safety, 8
erodes trust in the justice system, and imposes significant human 9
and economic costs on victims, families, and communities. 10
(2) The Legislature further finds that clearance rates, 11
defined as the percentage of reported crimes that are solved 12
through arrest or other lawful means, are a critical measure of 13
whether violent offenders are being held accountable and whether 14
victims receive justice. 15
(3) Clearance rates for violent crimes have declined 16
significantly over time, weakening deterrence and increasing the 17
likelihood of repeat offending. 18
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(4) Low clearance rates send a message that violent crime 19
carries a reduced risk of consequence, thereby endangering public 20
safety. 21
(5) Mississippi's law enforcement landscape includes a 22
significant number of small and rural agencies that face 23
challenges related to staffing, training, technology, 24
investigative capacity, and data reporting. 25
(6) Improving violent crime clearance rates requires a 26
coordinated approach that includes effective policing strategies, 27
focused deterrence of high-risk offenders, swift and certain 28
accountability, victim engagement, and evidence-based prevention 29
practices. 30
(7) The purpose of this act is to establish a task force to 31
examine violent crime clearance rates and recommend policies that 32
improve public safety and justice outcomes. 33
SECTION 2. Creation of the Mississippi Violent Crime Task 34
Force. There is hereby created the Mississippi Violent Crime Task 35
Force to study violent crime clearance rates and recommend 36
legislative and policy actions to improve the investigation, 37
prosecution, and deterrence of violent crime in Mississippi. 38
SECTION 3. Duties of the task force. The task force shall: 39
(a) Review violent crime clearance rates statewide and 40
by jurisdiction; 41
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(b) Identify barriers to solving violent crimes, 42
including investigative, technological, staffing, and coordination 43
challenges; 44
(c) Evaluate evidence-based policing and prosecution 45
strategies that improve violent crime clearance rates; 46
(d) Examine strategies to identify and supervise 47
high-risk and repeat violent offenders; 48
(e) Review practices that promote swift and certain 49
accountability for violent crime; 50
(f) Assess the role of victim engagement and services 51
in improving case outcomes; 52
(g) Examine the quality, timeliness, and completeness 53
of crime data reporting; 54
(h) Identify prevention strategies that reduce violent 55
crime and recidivism; and 56
(i) Develop recommendations for legislative, 57
administrative, and policy changes. 58
SECTION 4. Membership. The task force shall be composed of 59
the following members: 60
(a) The Chair of the House Judiciary B Committee, or 61
designee; 62
(b) The Chair of the Senate Judiciary B Committee, or 63
designee; 64
(c) The Attorney General of Mississippi, or designee; 65
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(d) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of 66
Public Safety, or designee; 67
(e) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of 68
Corrections, or designee; 69
(f) The Director of the Mississippi Bureau of 70
Investigation, or designee; 71
(g) One (1) district attorney appointed by the 72
Mississippi Prosecutors Association; 73
(h) One (1) sheriff appointed by the Mississippi 74
Sheriffs' Association; 75
(i) One (1) municipal police chief appointed by the 76
Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police; 77
(j) One (1) circuit court judge appointed by the Chief 78
Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court; 79
(k) One (1) mayor appointed by the Mississippi 80
Municipal League; 81
(l) One (1) county supervisor appointed by the 82
Mississippi Association of Supervisors; 83
(m) One (1) representative of a statewide victims' 84
rights organization appointed by the Governor; 85
(n) One (1) representative of a nonprofit organization 86
with experience in criminal justice policy appointed by the 87
Governor; and 88
(o) One (1) at-large law enforcement professional 89
appointed by the Governor. 90
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ST: Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force;
create.
SECTION 5. Organization and administration. 91
(1) The chairs of the House and Senate Judiciary B 92
Committees, or their designees, shall serve as co-chairs. 93
(2) The task force may meet as necessary and may request 94
information from state and local agencies. 95
(3) Members shall serve without compensation but may be 96
reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses as provided by law. 97
SECTION 6. Report. The task force shall submit a written 98
report to the Legislature no later than December 20, 2026, 99
containing findings and recommendations. 100
SECTION 7. Continuation. The Mississippi Violent Crime Task 101
Force shall continue in existence until otherwise provided by law. 102
SECTION 8. This act shall take effect and be in force from 103
and after July 1, 2026. 104