Mississippi’s citizens can play a powerful role in tackling Mississippi’s greatest challenges. From opioid abuse to human trafficking to consumer protection issues, the Attorney General’s Office seeks to empower Mississippians as individuals and through community groups to be a part of the solutions and advance our State’s best interests.
Being well-informed is your best defense against scammers, but even the most cautious consumer sometimes needs some assistance. If you need to talk to one of our consumer mediators for help, click here to fill out a consumer complaint form or click here to send an email to a mediator.
Check out our General Insider Special Edition with tips to protect yourself from scams during the holiday season and all the information you need to get help if scammers try to steal your Christmas!
Beware of Census Scams: Watch Video
Better Business Bureau: Learn about business professionals before you sign a contract.
Check out the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) most recent scam alerts.
Your identity is your most precious possession – protect it with these tools and tips.
Human Trafficking is a form of modern day slavery through which people profit from the exploitation of others. Victims can be men, women, or children of all races and nationalities. And, they are often not who you would expect or easily identify. Human Trafficking takes many forms, but it is most easily divided into two types: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. It is a $150-billion industry and growing, making it one of the most profitable illegal businesses globally.
Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund: In 2020, the Mississippi Legislature established the Victims of Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation Fund in order to provide funding for direct service providers who serve victims of sex and labor trafficking. Miss. Code Ann. §97-3-54.11. The fund is funded by, among other things, assessments for certain criminal convictions and legislative appropriations. The funding solicitation for 2022 was released on November 1 and will close at 5:00 pm on November 23, 2022.
CDL Drivers
You can play an essential role in protecting our State from those who seek to abuse our roadways to exploit and target women, men, and children, who may be our neighbors, our friends, and even our family. You can be the solution.
Your leadership on the roads is crucial to putting an end to human trafficking. With trucking professionals like you on our side, we can make our roads the first line of defense in recovering victims and putting predators out of business. Together, we can make Mississippi safe. Together, we can be the solution.
Click here to begin the training.
School Bus Drivers
Familial trafficking is a big problem in Mississippi, which makes your role even more valuable to protecting our young people. As one of Mississippi’s school bus drivers, you have a unique opportunity to see what no one else sees. You see our students when they first get up, and you are the last to see them before they go home. You are the eyes and ears of student safety. You can be the solution.
With school safety leaders like you on our side, we can make our roads the first line of defense in recovering our students and putting these predators out of business. Together, we can make Mississippi safe. Together, we can be the solution.
Click here to begin the training.
Learn the basics about opioids from the Centers for Drug Control and Prevention (CDC).
Find a permanent drug take back location for safe disposal of unneeded pain medications.
President’s Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
Youth Opioid Abuse Prevention Toolkit.
Check out the Mississippi Department of Health’s resources on opioid abuse.
Johanna Beeland,
Public Education & Community Engagement (PEACE)
Johanna is a graduate of Mississippi State University, where she obtained her Master of Public Policy and Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations.
While in Starkville, Johanna’s career in public service began at The City of Starkville, where she served as the Office Manager and the liaison to the Chief Financial Officer, the Board of Aldermen, and the City Attorney. Upon graduation from her master’s program in 2017, Johanna relocated to Jackson, Mississippi and accepted a position at the Office of the Mississippi State Treasurer, Lynn Fitch.
From 2017-2020, Johanna served as a Marketing Specialist for College Savings Mississippi, Mississippi’s 529 education plans. In this role, she worked to expand the utilization of MPACT and MACS, while also recruiting employers throughout the state to offer the programs as an employee benefit. Ending her tenure at the State Treasurer’s office as the Senior Marketing Specialist, Johanna transitioned to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office in 2020 to serve as the Deputy Director of Engagement in the Public Education and Community Engagement (PEACE) division.
As Deputy Director of Engagement, Johanna supported the division by working to develop strategic plans to educate and provide information on various topics affecting Mississippians such as: human trafficking, the opioid epidemic, consumer fraud and scams, and much more. After several years of public service and related experience, Johanna is honored to now serve the State of Mississippi as the Director of Public Education & Community Engagement (PEACE).
As Director of PEACE, Johanna is excited to continue leading the charge in education and awareness initiatives for the Attorney General’s Office. Johanna is a native of Brandon, Mississippi and currently resides in Jackson with her dog, Lady.
Contact Us
601.359.3680
P.O. Box 220, Jackson MS 39205
550 High Street, Jackson MS 39201