Last year, the Louisiana Office of Juvenile Justice began transferring children to Angola, the state’s most notorious prison. Since then, kids say they’ve suffered through horrific conditions and routine mistreatment. Incarcerating children at Angola is antithetical to the OJJ’s duty to help children in their facilities, said Kristen Rome, co-executive director of the Louisiana Center […]

Two teens held at a new juvenile lockup in a former death row building at Angola said in court filings that youth there have been pepper sprayed, held in solitary confinement for hours with breaks only for showers and regularly had aggressive run-ins with Department of Corrections guards. read the full article here

An incarcerated youth said guards at a controversial juvenile justice facility recently opened on the grounds of Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola have hit young people and used mace multiple times to restrain them. Daniel ,incarcerated youth , said he no longer has access to substance abuse treatment, and Edward complained about the schooling. He said that […]

Gov. John Bel Edwards’ administration has agreed to pay private attorneys hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend his plan to house incarcerated youth at one of the country’s largest maximum-security prisons for adults.  The Office of Juvenile Justice initially hired Butler Snow LLP to cover litigation related to the opening of a juvenile facility at […]

The state is attempting to deny advocates from seeking information about the conditions and services being provided to the kids held in the Angola facility. This denial of access is a pattern of behavior from OJJ. Aaron Clark Rizzio, LCCR Co-Executive director states “All of our clients and their families understand the message that OJJ […]

New Orleans pediatric physicians join in the recent op-ed by Demario Davis and Malcolm Jenkins to strongly oppose the relocation of our youth from juvenile detention facilities to Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Security issues that led to this decision aren’t the fault of the children; they should be given the opportunity to rehabilitate, not be sent […]

CJ McCollum, New Orleans Pelican, has penned an op-ed that plainly states: “Public safety and criminal justice reform are not mutually exclusive”.  This op-ed highlights the critical juvenile justice advocacy efforts done by Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights. Read his full op-ed here

“Public safety reform is too important not to get right,” and “Decisions should be grounded in facts and data, and reforms should reflect proven policy that increases public safety, reduces crime, and makes the best use of scarce tax-payer dollars. Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer said in a press release. Read more here

The criminal punishment system targets poor children and children of color for the harshest treatment without addressing the root causes of crime. Malcolm Lloyd, a former juvenile investigator for the Orleans Public Defenders office writes a powerful piece on the modern history of the juvenile justice system and how it has failed our children, and […]

We appreciate the Office of Juvenile Justice’s decision, as the safety and wellbeing of children should be its top priority. The State should not be taking children from their homes and communities if they cannot keep them safe and provide appropriate services. Louisiana is at a critical moment in youth justice. It is time for […]