06/06/2026
A MESSAGE TO THE PARENTS OF MISSISSIPPI 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
From Rep. Kabir Karriem, Chairman, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus
Parents, grandparents, guardians, mentors, pastors, coaches, and all who have a hand in raising our children:
I am asking you to pay close attention.
Beginning July 1, 2026, Mississippi's Senate Bill 2710 will dramatically change the way our state handles firearm-related crimes involving young people. Whether you agree with the law or not, every parent needs to understand what is at stake.
For generations, Youth Court has served as a place where many young people who made mistakes could receive guidance, intervention, rehabilitation, and a second chance. Under this new law, however, a juvenile who commits a violent crime involving a firearm may no longer receive those protections. Instead, they can be prosecuted as adults in Circuit Court and face life-altering consequences.
Let me be clear: a single bad decision can now carry consequences that will follow a young person for decades.
A teenager who chooses to pick up a gun and commit a violent act may find themselves facing adult prison sentences, a permanent criminal record, and a future forever changed. The streets do not tell our children about the courtrooms, prison cells, lost opportunities, and broken families that often follow violence. As parents, we must tell them the truth.
This is not a message of fear. It is a message of responsibility.
The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus has long advocated for prevention, education, mentorship, and opportunities that keep our children out of the criminal justice system. We believe every child deserves the chance to learn from mistakes, grow, and become productive citizens. But we also recognize that the laws are changing, and our young people must understand the seriousness of the moment.
Tonight, sit down with your children.
Talk to them about accountability.
Talk to them about peer pressure.
Talk to them about conflict resolution.
Talk to them about the value of their future.
Teach them that carrying a firearm, handling a stolen weapon, or participating in gun violence is not a game. The consequences are real, immediate, and severe.
Our children should be focused on classrooms, graduation stages, college campuses, careers, entrepreneurship, and building their dreams, not courtrooms, prison cells, and criminal records.
The most important conversation you have with your child today could determine the direction of their life tomorrow.
As parents, we are their first teachers. As communities, we are their first line of defense. Let us work together to protect our children, strengthen our families, and ensure that Mississippi's young people have every opportunity to succeed.
Their future is worth the conversation.
In Solidarity,
Rep. Kabir KarriemChairman, Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus
