MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Judiciary B

By: Representative Moore

AN ACT TO PROVIDE CORPORAL PUNISHMENT FOR FIRST TIME NONVIOLENT ADULT AND JUVENILE OFFENDERS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SHALL PROMULGATE REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT SUCH CORPORAL PUNISHMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, all first time nonviolent adult and juvenile offenders, in addition to other penalties provided by law, upon conviction for any nonviolent crime shall be sentenced to corporal punishment. The Department of Corrections shall promulgate regulations to provide corporal punishment under this section.

(2) For purposes of this section, "nonviolent crime" means any criminal act which does not include the use of force or weapons or which does not include any injury or attempted injury.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.