We first met "Rodrigo" back in 2021. At the time, he was a 15-year-old who had been in and out of the legal system since he was a pre-teen. He struggled with school, had a volatile relationship with his mother, and had serious unmet mental health needs. As is often the case with kids who have been repeatedly arrested, instead of getting help with his underlying issues, Rodrigo just got more jail time. That's where we stepped in to help.

When we first met "Tyrell," he was a high school senior struggling with his mental health and disconnected from school. He was arrested for stealing his uncle's car and crashing it. Here's how we helped him to enroll in college and improve his mental health.

“There are so many existing, false, and damaging narratives that need to be confronted,” says Cierra Chenier, who recently started in LCCR’s brand-new Strategic Storyteller role. “There are also many positive narratives about Black youth that need to be uplifted.” As the Strategic Storyteller, Cierra will be leading LCCR’s efforts to combat the harmful narratives surrounding Black youth.

We are proud to report that Shon Williams, LCCR's Reentry Specialist, was recently accepted into the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Emerging Leaders Program. This program is designed to cultivate leadership skills and systems-level thinking among nonprofit leaders with a focus on sustainability and community impact.

We first met “Gerard” as a 10th grader who had been arrested for sleeping in a house that he thought was unoccupied. Instead of offering the support he so desperately needed, the legal system put him in jail. Here’s how we helped Gerard secure his release and escape homelessness.

On Wednesday, August 28th, LCCR and Daughters Beyond Incarceration decided to take a different approach in raising awareness about juvenile justice by hosting a youth justice town hall. Unlike the legislative session recaps of the past, this event was focused on engaging the community and shedding light on recent changes in Louisiana's juvenile justice system, with a particular focus on how these changes will affect young people. 

It's been another big year for LCCR. We served more than 700 kids between New Orleans and East Baton Rouge, rolled out our new Second Chances Youth Reentry Project, scored two legislative wins on the vital records front, and welcomed CJ McCollum for a visit. Click here to read all about what your support helped us achieve in FY 2024.

“Zoey” was a tenth grader struggling with a challenging home life. She was in constant conflict with her mother and would frequently either be kicked out or run away. She would stay out all night with a group that would hang out, smoke weed, and occasionally break into a car for money or a ride. This led to several of Zoey's arrests. Here’s how we helped her break this vicious cycle.

When we first met “Jaylah,” it was immediately clear how much she cared for her family – and how badly she wanted to be able to provide for them. But she was all on her own, with little to no guidance from the adults in her life. Here’s how we helped Jaylah get what she needs for herself and her family.

In February, the state legislature gathered for a special session aimed at decreasing “surging” crime. Children were a specific target of this session, which saw a repeal of the Raise the Age law. Louisiana is now the first state ever to roll back this reform and return to prosecuting all 17-year-old children as adults.