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 the State to recognize and acknowledge that the current systems do not work and, in actuality, cause great harm to children. This is a moment for us as a State to turn away from relying on counter-productive prisons for children, and create community based alternatives. […]

The New York Times recently released an investigative report on the systemic failures and ignored abuse running rampant within Ware Youth Center – which has led to a surge in suicide attempts amongst incarcerated children. Governor Edwards has since announced he will request an investigation from the State Inspector General. The violence and abuse at Ware are emblematic of a larger youth justice crisis that has become increasingly urgent in recent months. Yet, the state has continued to scapegoat kids and shirk responsibility for a decades-long unfulfilled promise to transform the youth justice system into a holistic model of care […]