Jails + Prisons
In Louisiana, incarcerated people help with hurricane recovery after Francine
In Louisiana, everyone pitches in to help out after a hurricane, even people who are usually behind bars.
Incarcerated people from three jails evacuated ahead of Hurricane Francine
Sheriffs in three Louisiana parishes evacuated state prisoners and local detainees ahead of Hurricane Francine coming ashore as a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds Wednesday.
Gov. Landry nominates longtime parole manager to run Louisiana’s prison system
Gov. Jeff Landry has picked a longtime acquaintance with nearly 30 years of experience working in probation and parole services to run the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, which includes the state prison system. Gary Westcott grew up in the same neighborhood as the governor and graduated from St. Martinville High School a few […]
Louisiana’s slanted views on youth crime show a need to focus on solutions rather than individuals
During this election season, I’ve been thinking a lot about what our voting choices can tell us about how we view ourselves as a state, as a nation, and as individuals, and how that self image is reflected in how we approach crime and punishment. I’ve always been interested in incarceration, especially as it relates […]
Louisiana’s long-serving prisons chief suddenly steps down
One of the country’s longest-serving prison system leaders will leave his position running the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections next week.
New Orleans jail to offer limited free phone calls, tablet access for detainees
NEW ORLEANS — During her successful 2021 campaign for Orleans Parish Sheriff, Susan Hutson criticized the high fees — more than 20 cents per minute — that detainees in the city’s jail pay to make phone calls, saying she would work to provide free phone service. Two and a half years into her tenure, she’s […]
From arrest to release, there’s a new effort to investigate the experiences of incarcerated women
Women represent only about 10% of incarcerated people in the United States. Because of that, most criminal legal research and reform proposals overlook their specific needs. A growing number of researchers and advocates are pushing to change this. They’re calling for a more intentional focus on the factors that lead women to incarceration, the challenges […]
A federal law could block reforms for Louisiana’s beleaguered prison health care system
This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Verite News. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published. Several months ago, in a lawsuit that was in its ninth year, a federal judge blasted the medical care at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at […]
Efforts to release prisoners from long sentences draw new interest
Lawmakers across the country have considered legislation this year that would allow courts or parole boards to reevaluate a person’s long prison sentence and decide whether they can be safely released into society. The bills, known as “second look” legislation, often focus on older populations, people sentenced as minors, or those whose crimes might have […]
High abuse rates against LGBTQ, HIV-positive people in immigration detention, study finds
LGBTQ and HIV-positive people locked up in immigration detention centers are experiencing high rates of sexual assault, harassment and threats, according to a report released last month. The report, which was based on interviews with dozens of people who have been held by a federal immigration agency, found that nearly all of them had experienced […]
Despite what some politicians say, crime rates are decreasing
Violent crime in the United States dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same period last year, according to the FBI’s Quarterly Uniform Crime Report released earlier this month. The FBI’s data, collected from nearly 12,000 law enforcement agencies representing about 77% of the country’s population, suggests violent crime dropped by […]
Mississippi wants to allow some votes from jails and prisons. Red tape may stop it.
A new Mississippi law clarifies that some people held in jail or prison may vote in elections, but widespread confusion and a tangle of paperwork will likely continue to block many of them from casting ballots. The state permanently disenfranchises people convicted of crimes that fall into 22 broad criminal categories. However, people convicted of […]