(Jackson, MS) Hinds County District Attorney Jody E. Owens II, announces the release of the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office’s Annual Report.
This year’s report provides a comprehensive review of criminal justice in Hinds County examining the progress of Smart Justice Initiatives, Grand Jury activity, and trial results. The report concludes with an analysis of the challenges the criminal justice system in Hinds County faces heading into 2024.
The report details the over 1,600 indictments returned by the Hinds County Grand Jury in 2023, as well as the 1,480 felony counts resolved during the period. The report also provides a comprehensive review of law enforcement activity during 2023 focusing on the type and volume of crime and the communities in which they are occurring. For example, of the cases brought to the grand jury in 2023, 21% were homicides, 30% were other crimes against the person, and 35% were property crimes.
The report also documents the success of the District Attorney’s Smart Justice initiatives and commitment to diverting eligible non-violent offenders away from the criminal justice system. This year, 98 would-be felons completed the intensive pre-trial intervention program and began their fresh start. 50 drug offenders entered Drug Court joining the other 165 individuals on the road to recovery. In 2023, 170 citizens received expungements, bringing this administration’s expungement total to 434.
“I am proud of the hard work and diligence of the men and women at the Hinds Count District Attorney’s Office whose hard work is reflected in this report.” DA Owens said following a press conference announcing the release of the report.
The Report is available below.