The American Civil Liberties Union recently praised Louisiana for being one of several states that is working hard to bring about criminal justice reform (See Reentry Central News, August 11, 2011). The criminal justice measures are significant, but Examiner.com points out that much more needs to be done, and quickly.
According to the Examiner:
Louisiana’s Orleans Parish Jail has the highest incarceration rate in America
Sentences of life, without possibility of parole, are four times the national average in Louisiana
82 percent of Louisiana’s prisoners are incarcerated on non-violent charges, including intoxication and traffic violations
In 2011, Louisiana has already spent $506,477,429 on corrections
The cost of incarcerating one person in Louisiana is approximately $19,888 annually. That amount represents the cost for a prisoner in relatively good health. If the inmate has health issues, the cost can skyrocket to $80,000 a year. Governor Bobby Jidal attempted to privatize three prisons, but failed, the Examiner.com reports. The ACLU, Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy, Commissioner Raymond Laborde of the state’s Department of Administration and others were against the privatization attempt, calling it a “short-term fix” that would not solve the state’s problem.
Also at odds with the way things are run in the state is Superintendent Ronal Serpas, of the New Orleans Police Department, who admonished the Sheriff’s Department for taking into custody almost 20,000 people on warrants in 2010, at a cost of almost $2 million. Legislators and taxpayers are searching for ways to reduce the budget and cut taxes. A measure to expand the Orleans Parish Jail was rejected, saving taxpayers money that would have been unnecessarily spent on locking up pre-trial detainees, and low-level criminals.
A new law that was recently passed is expected to reduce Louisiana’s elderly prison population. House Bill 138 allows non-violent inmates serving life sentences to apply for parole when they turn 60 years old. The parole board now has the option of releasing these elderly individuals if they are deemed not to be a threat to themselves or the community. The warden of the Louisiana State Prison, Burl Cain, supported the bill. Eighty-five percent of the inmates under his supervision at the prison are serving life sentences. (See Reentry Central News, August 1, 2011).
Another recently passed law offers inmates the chance to receive a sentence reduction if they provide the Eastern Louisiana District Attorney with valid information on the criminal activity of other groups or individuals, or corrupt public officials.
Source: Examiner.com
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