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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.

New Orleans trial put on hold as appellate court considers whether people with felony convictions are being illegally excluded from jury service

January 19, 2023 Updated January 20, 2023
The state law was changed in 2021.

Mayor’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention has ceased most operations

January 17, 2023 Updated January 25, 2023
The city says employees will be rehired once a new fiscal agent is approved.

Conditions at a north Louisiana prison were found unconstitutional. A trial starts next week to determine what should be done.

January 13, 2023 Updated January 13, 2023
The prison says it has made substantial improvements to conditions and mental health care, but civil rights attorneys say prisoners are still suffering.

Phase III jail facility likely much costlier than expected, renewing calls for alternatives

January 9, 2023 Updated January 9, 2023
City officials say that FEMA regulations require them to rebid the project.

Many criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial are languishing in parish jails, despite being ordered care at state hospital

December 21, 2022 Updated December 21, 2022
The health department says that they are working to address delays in admissions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

State seeks to dismiss lawsuit over youth at Angola, as attorneys push for more access and information

December 15, 2022 Updated December 15, 2022
Eight kids are currently being held at the Angola facility, state officials say.

Federal judge nixes Sheriff Hutson’s proposed consent decree NDA

December 7, 2022 Updated December 7, 2022
The judge said that giving the sheriff sole authority to determine what is and isn’t confidential information related to the case was “never going to happen.”

Proposed 2023 budget close to providing funding parity between New Orleans DA, public defenders following 2020 ordinance

November 28, 2022 Updated November 28, 2022
Council President Helena Moreno to introduce amendment to fund homicide unit for DAs office while maintaining parity for defenders.

Louisiana’s state-run juvenile detention facilities no longer accepting kids, citing lack of bed space

November 16, 2022 Updated November 2, 2023
The Office of Juvenile Justice will ask judges to release kids who can be "safely reintegrated back into the community."

Months after New Orleans jail detainees injured in DOC shakedown, civil rights lawyers ask federal judge to force sheriff to turn over records

November 15, 2022 Updated November 15, 2022
The request comes amid an ongoing dispute over transparency at the jail.

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