The Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force; create.

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To: Judiciary, Division B
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Fillingane

SENATE BILL NO. 2797

AN ACT TO CREATE THE MISSISSIPPI VIOLENT CRIME TASK FORCE TO 1
EXAMINE VIOLENT CRIME CLEARANCE RATES AND RECOMMEND POLICIES THAT 2
IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE OUTCOMES; TO STATE LEGISLATIVE 3
FINDINGS AND PURPOSE; TO SET FORTH THE DUTIES OF THE TASK FORCE, 4
ITS MEMBERSHIP, ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION; TO REQUIRE THE 5
TASK FORCE TO REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE; TO PROVIDE THAT THE TASK 6
FORCE SHALL CONTINUE IN EXISTENCE UNTIL OTHERWISE PROVIDED BY LAW; 7
AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 8
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: 9
SECTION 1. (1) Legislative Findings and Purpose. (a) The 10
Legislature finds that violent crime undermines public safety, 11
erodes trust in the justice system, and imposes significant human 12
and economic costs on victims, families, and communities. 13
(b) The Legislature further finds that clearance rates, 14
defined as the percentage of reported crimes that are solved 15
through arrest or other lawful means, are a critical measure of 16
whether violent offenders are being held accountable and whether 17
victims receive justice. 18
(c) Clearance rates for violent crimes have declined 19
significantly over time, weakening deterrence and increasing the 20
likelihood of repeat offending. 21
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(d) Only thirty percent (30%) of violent crimes are 22
cleared in Mississippi, well below the national average of 23
forty-one percent (41%). 24
(e) Mississippi has one of the highest homicide rates 25
in the country, despite having a lower overall violent crime rate 26
than most other states. According to FBI data, Mississippi's 2024 27
murder clearance rate was fifty-two percent (52%). 28
(f) Low clearance rates send a message that violent 29
crime carries a reduced risk of consequence, thereby endangering 30
public safety. 31
(g) Mississippi's law enforcement landscape includes a 32
significant number of small and rural agencies that face 33
challenges related to staffing, training, technology, 34
investigative capacity, and data reporting. 35
(h) Improving violent crime clearance rates requires a 36
coordinated approach that includes effective policing strategies, 37
focused deterrence of high-risk offenders, swift and certain 38
accountability, victim engagement, and evidence-based prevention 39
practices. 40
(i) The purpose of this act is to establish a task 41
force to examine violent crime clearance rates and recommend 42
policies that improve public safety and justice outcomes. 43
(2) Creation of the Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force. 44
There is hereby created the Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force 45
to study violent crime clearance rates and recommend legislative 46
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and policy actions to improve the investigation, prosecution, and 47
deterrence of violent crime in Mississippi. 48
(3) Duties of the Task Force. The task force shall: 49
(a) Review violent crime clearance rates statewide and 50
by jurisdiction; 51
(b) Identify barriers to solving violent crimes, 52
including investigative, technological, staffing, and coordination 53
challenges; 54
(c) Evaluate evidence-based policing and prosecution 55
strategies that improve violent crime clearance rates; 56
(d) Examine strategies to identify and supervise 57
high-risk and repeat violent offenders; 58
(e) Review practices that promote swift and certain 59
accountability for violent crime; 60
(f) Assess the role of victim engagement and services 61
in improving case outcomes; 62
(g) Examine the quality, timeliness, and completeness 63
of crime data reporting; 64
(h) Identify prevention strategies that reduce violent 65
crime and recidivism; and 66
(i) Develop recommendations for legislative, 67
administrative, and policy changes. 68
(4) Membership. The task force shall be composed of the 69
following members: 70
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(a) The Chair of the Senate Judiciary, Division B 71
Committee, or designee; 72
(b) The Chair of the House Judiciary B Committee, or 73
designee; 74
(c) The Attorney General of Mississippi, or designee; 75
(d) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of 76
Public Safety, or designee; 77
(e) The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of 78
Corrections, or designee; 79
(f) The Director of the Mississippi Bureau of 80
Investigation, or designee; 81
(g) One (1) district attorney appointed by the 82
Mississippi Prosecutors Association; 83
(h) One (1) sheriff appointed by the Mississippi 84
Sheriffs' Association; 85
(i) One (1) municipal police chief appointed by the 86
Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police; 87
(j) One (1) circuit court judge appointed by the Chief 88
Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court; 89
(k) One (1) mayor appointed by the Mississippi 90
Municipal League; 91
(l) One (1) county supervisor appointed by the 92
Mississippi Association of Supervisors; 93
(m) One (1) representative of a statewide victims' 94
rights organization appointed by the Governor; 95
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ST: The Mississippi Violent Crime Task Force;
create.
(n) One (1) representative of a nonprofit organization 96
with experience in criminal justice policy appointed by the 97
Governor; and 98
(o) One (1) law enforcement professional appointed by 99
the Governor. 100
(5) Organization and Administration. (a) The chair of the 101
Senate Judiciary, Division B Committee and the chair of the House 102
Judiciary B Committee, or their designees, shall serve as 103
co-chairs. 104
(b) The task force may meet as necessary and may 105
request information from state and local agencies. 106
(c) Members shall serve without compensation but may be 107
reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses as provided by law 108
subject to appropriation by the Legislature. 109
(6) Report. The task force shall submit a written report to 110
the Legislature no later than December 20, 2026, containing its 111
findings and recommendations. 112
(7) Continuation. The task force shall continue in 113
existence until otherwise provided by law. 114
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from 115
and after July 1, 2026. 116