The House Corrections Committee approved a bill Wednesday to buy new uniforms for state prisoners that won't have "M.D.O.C. Convict" written on the back.

The uniforms would also be free of stripes.

The change will cost more than $1 million, said Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Pelicia Hall, who is pushing for the new uniforms.

Hall said there is a negative connotation to wearing a uniform with the word "convict" emblazoned across it.

Hall told members of the committee MDOC spends about $676,000 a year on prison uniforms. She said it will cost about $400,000 additionally in a one-time cost for the new uniforms. Then the cost will be roughly about the same annually.

House Corrections Chairman Bill Kinkaide, R-Byhalia, said Mississippi is now the only state that still uses the striped prisoner uniforms with the word "convict" written on them.

Kinkaide said MDOC is looking at some type of colored shirt and dungaree uniform.

Kinkaide said MDOC might able to get the cost of the uniforms reduced through Mississippi Prison Industries, which uses inmate labor to make products.

In 1995, the Department of Corrections started phasing in the following uniform designations for offenders:

Maximum security: Red and white horizontal stripes

Medium security: Black and white horizontal stripes

Minimum security: Green and white horizontal stripes.

The law says "No offender may wear any article of clothing that is not issued to the offender by the Department of Corrections. The word 'convict' must be written on the back of the shirt or other upper outer garment of clothing."

House Bill 1287 now goes to the full House for a possible vote. If passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor, it would go into effect July 1.

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