Behind The Lens episode 146: A parole board matter

An Angola prisoner says his parole was revoked illegally. An explainer on school COVID data. And a plan to give civilian municipal employees limited police powers.

This week on Behind The Lens, a report on how schools collect and report COVID-19 data, which is used not only to make decisions on quarantines but to guide public health policy.

Angola prisoner Bobby Sneed — who saw his parole revoked in an unusual procedure — is back in the news after his lawyers filed a petition arguing he is being held unlawfully

The future of the jail facility known as Phase III is still uncertain as a committee can’t reach consensus on whether to approve a necessary zoning change. But the decision is ultimately the New Orleans City Council’s.

And New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has announced a plan to deputize civilian employees of some city departments to issue citations for certain quality of life municipal violations.

Our guests this week are education reporter Marta Jewson, criminal justice reporter Nick Chrastil, government and cultural economy reporter Michael Isaac Stein, and Lens editor Charles Maldonado.

Carolyne Heldman

Carolyne Heldman Rovira has been in media for 35 years, and is currently the podcast host and producer for Behind The Lens. Heldman served as executive director at Aspen Public Radio, an NPR affiliate, where she launched four weekly news, public affairs, and cultural affairs programs. She has been a guest lecturer at Tulane University, is a frequent guest and moderator for the Aspen Institute, Rocky Mountain Institute, and the American Enterprise Institute.