For generations, the U.S. has overly relied on prosecution and incarceration as the primary forms of accountability, but with lackluster results. Given the high cost and poor track record of punitive punishments, LCCR and other advocates are pushing for alternatives to the traditional prosecution and incarceration routes. Today we explore the concept of Credible Messengers.

It's been another huge year for LCCR. We served more than 600 kids between New Orleans and East Baton Rouge, defended against a rollback of the Raise the Age law, and welcomed Kristen Rome to the Co-Executive Director role. Click here to read all about what your support helped us achieve in FY 2023.

We first met “Renisha” as a 12th grader with a three-year-old little boy of her own. She had been arrested on charges of aggravated assault, which threatened to upend her and her child's lives. She wanted more than anything to give her son the stable life that she never had herself. Here's how LCCR helped.

Children incarcerated on the former death row unit of Louisiana’s Angola prison were locked in their cells without air conditioning for several days this month amid scorching summer temperatures, according to a teenager held at the facility. The child, identified by the pseudonym Charles C., said in a statement to his attorney that the kids were only let out […]

It was on a late spring day when Amanda Schroeder finally received the report she had been hoping for. A student she’d been working with as a social worker for the nonprofit Communities in Schools had successfully passed the 7th grade. Normally, this wouldn’t be a particularly remarkable moment, but this child’s situation was anything but […]

Our friends at The Sentencing Project recently released an incredible new report that we wanted to bring to your attention - Why Youth Incarceration Fails: An Updated Review of the Evidence. We absolutely recommend giving this report a full read. However, we also acknowledge that not everyone has the time to take such a deep dive. As such, we wanted to provide this brief overview of the report's key findings and recommendations.

“Jerome” is an 11th grader who was arrested for carrying a weapon for protection. When his LCCR team first met him, Jerome was quiet, timid, and very scared. Over time, he grew to become very communicative about his needs, even while exhibiting grief and trauma. He badly wants a different life for himself and his family. Here's how we helped.

What an wonderful evening! On March 23, we welcomed more than 200 guests to our annual Celebration for Children’s Rights. What’s more, we raised a record-breaking $82,231 to fund our work with children in the legal system. We can think of no better way to spend a beautiful spring evening than to come together with so many of our friends and supporters. Thank you for joining us and making this another Celebration to remember!

With our Celebration for Children’s Rights coming up on March 23rd, we’re excited to introduce our Pascal Calogero Champion of Justice awardee for 2023: Louisiana State Senator Royce Duplessis. Click to learn more about Sen. Duplessis's commitment to youth justice, his partnership with LCCR at the state legislature, and his tireless efforts to make his community a better and more just place.

Join us on Thursday, March 23rd at our annual benefit event -- the Celebration for Children’s Rights -- as we celebrate our successes and come together to make Louisiana a better place for all children. We will also be presenting our Calogero Champion of Justice Award to Louisiana State Senator Royce Duplessis for his tremendous impact on youth justice in the state legislature.