IN ADDITION TO CONSTANTLY CHANGING SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, CRIMINAL POLICIES IMPACTING PRISON POPULATION LEVELS INCLUDE THE ARMED ROBBERY LAW, MAJOR CHANGES IN PAROLE REVOCATION RATES, NEW SENTENCING LAWS FOR LARCENY AND BURGLARY, AND JUDGES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SPLIT SENTENCES AND SHOCK PROBATION POLICIES. A COMBINATION OF ALL THESE ELEMENTS, UNIQUE TO EACH STATE'S INDIVIDUAL SITUATION, DETERMINES IMPRISONMENT RATES. PUBLIC ATTITUDES DEMANDING LONGER PRISON SENTENCES AND MORE SEVERE PENALTIES, AND AVAILABILITY OF CORRECTIONS RESOURCES ARE ALSO CRUCIAL FACTORS. THE LATTER FACTOR AFFECTS THE MAXIMUM LEVELS WHICH JAIL AND PENITENTIARY POPULATIONS CAN REACH BECAUSE THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY DEFINED BY THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF AVAILABLE BEDS. ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT, GIVEN CURRENT (1980) CONDITIONS, POLICIES, AND LAWS, PRISON POPULATION IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE, BUT AT A STEADILY DECREASING GROWTH RATE. TWO TABLES AND TWO GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED IN THE TEXT.