Mississippi Code Title 47. Prisons and Prisoners; Probation and Parole § 47-5-4

(a) “Adult” shall mean a person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, or any person convicted of any crime not subject to the provisions of the Youth Court Law, or any person “certified” to be tried as an adult by any youth court in the state.

(b) “Juvenile,” “minor” or “youthful” shall mean a person less than eighteen (18) years of age.

(c) “Offender” shall mean any person convicted of a crime or offense under the laws and ordinances of the state and its political subdivisions.

(d) “Facility or institution” shall mean any facility for the custody, care, treatment and study of offenders which is under the supervision and control of the Department of Corrections, including but not limited to the State Penitentiary property located in Sunflower and Quitman Counties.

(e) “Detention” shall mean the temporary care of juveniles and adults who require secure custody for their own or the community's protection in a physically restricting facility prior to adjudication, or retention in a physically restricting facility upon being taken into custody after an alleged parole or probation violation.

(f) “Unit of local government” shall mean a county, city, town, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of the state.

(g) “Department” shall mean the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

(h) “Commissioner” shall mean the Commissioner of Corrections.

(i) “Correctional system” shall mean the facilities, institutions, programs and personnel of the Department of Corrections utilized for adult offenders who are committed to the custody of the department.