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Author: Nick Chrastil

About Nick Chrastil
Nicholas Chrastil covers criminal justice for The Lens. As a freelancer, his work has appeared in Slate, Undark, Mother Jones, and the Atavist, among other outlets. Chrastil has a master's degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University, where his research focused on New Orleans' newspapers during the Reconstruction era. During his time at LSU, he also covered the Louisiana state legislature as part of the Manship Statehouse Bureau. He is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Criminal-justice reform groups want Governor Edwards to veto these bills before upcoming deadline

June 29, 2023 Updated June 30, 2023
The bills would roll back landmark reforms passed during Edwards’ administration, advocates say

Weeks before projected groundbreaking, Sheriff Susan Hutson files motion in federal court to stop construction of controversial Phase III jail building

June 27, 2023 Updated June 27, 2023
City officials are mostly united in their opposition to building the new 89-mental health facility, which is slated to cost $109 million.

City Council delays proposed $21 million contract extension for Wellpath, controversial jail healthcare provider

June 12, 2023 Updated June 29, 2023
Though the city proposed a year extension for Wellpath, whose contract lapsed in May, the Council deferred approval. Councilwoman Helena Moreno is pushing for a full committee hearing to assess the company’s performance.

State Supreme Court declines to take up case about Louisiana kids jailed out-of-state

June 5, 2023 Updated November 2, 2023
The state's highest court refuses opportunity to resolve long-standing dispute about whether shipping detained kids out of state violates Louisiana law.

City rolls out non-police 911 mental-health response

June 1, 2023 Updated June 1, 2023
People experiencing a mental-health crisis could be more frequently stabilized and treated, not arrested.

Neighborhood security stopped 3 young Black males; A federal judge is weighing a lawsuit over it

May 24, 2023 Updated May 25, 2023

Orleans jail monitors disclose for first time issues found under Hutson’s leadership

May 16, 2023 Updated May 19, 2023
Monitors tasked with overseeing the New Orleans jail and tracking its compliance with the long-running federal consent decree said staff falsified suicide-watch documentation, rubber-stamped investigations to justify uses of force, and that the facility is dangerously understaffed.

Louisiana leads nation in percentage of people in adult prisons for crimes they committed as kids

May 10, 2023 Updated May 11, 2023

A Louisiana lawmaker wants mandatory life without parole sentence for fentanyl distribution

April 20, 2023 Updated April 26, 2023

Sheriff turns over information related to questionable uses of force

April 7, 2023 Updated April 7, 2023

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