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Category
Criminal Justice

Asking why and how, and what needs to be done.

Behind The Lens: Detained despite citizenship and the debate over jury secrecy  (Audio)

A U.S. citizen shares her account of being stopped, shackled and detained in Lafayette Parish, while reporters examine a new Louisiana law that could shield juror identities from public scrutiny.
by Carolyne Heldman June 12, 2026 Updated June 13, 2026
Cannabis flower sits on a rolling tray alongside rolling papers, a grinder, and a lighter. Several states are considering legislation that would impose stricter THC limits on certain cannabis products.

High-potency cannabis fuels state debates over psychosis and addiction risks

Research has linked frequent use of high-potency cannabis to a greater risk of psychosis and psychotic disorders, particularly among heavy users and adolescents
by Amanda Watford, Stateline June 10, 2026 Updated June 9, 2026
Shareef Cousin stands beside a recreational vehicle (RV) parked outside New Orleans. Nearby, his sons Yasir and Shareef Jr., ages 10 and 12, wait alongside the vehicle. The RV will serve as their home during a planned two-year journey across the United States. Cousin, who was sentenced to death at age 16 before being exonerated, says the trip is part of his effort to heal from the lasting impacts of incarceration while building a life focused on freedom, family, and exploration.

Learning to live inside freedom, 30 years after death row 

Wrongfully sentenced to death at 16, Shareef Cousin survived a decade behind bars before being exonerated and released. Three decades later, he is determined to find his own sense of freedom, through a cross-country journey with his son.
by Shareef Cousin June 8, 2026 Updated June 12, 2026
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New Louisiana law limiting disclosure of juror information takes effect August 1

While supporters say that Act 284 protects juror privacy, critics say that it goes too far, by not allowing exceptions for investigating case improprieties, making it impossible for wrongly convicted people to expose the errors in their convictions.
by Bernard Smith June 5, 2026 Updated June 5, 2026

A Farm Line ruling could reshape daily life inside Angola

An imminent federal ruling could leave Angola’s Farm Line intact. Or it could deeply reshape daily work assignments for hundreds of incarcerated men.
by Bernard Smith May 22, 2026 Updated May 22, 2026

New postal rule could allow direct handgun shipments for first time since 1927

USPS is set to lift a century-old ban — and experts warn the consequences could be significant.
by Jennifer Mascia, The Trace May 20, 2026 Updated May 20, 2026

The fields are still there: red beans and resistance

My mother has been saying it my whole life. Fifty-one years of hearing it. And on May 16, 2026, the same day she passed away and left me with the torch to continue this work, 800,000 people proved she was not just warning us.
by Andrea Hagan May 19, 2026 Updated June 28, 2026

What recent killings of Black women reveal about a growing crisis

Recent deaths of prominent Black women point to a national epidemic that has persisted for decades. The problem is particularly acute in Louisiana, where 24% of the people killed in intimate-partner violence were Black women.
by Jonathan Franklin, Capital B May 13, 2026 Updated May 13, 2026

Post-Katrina instability connection to jailbreak is ‘to easy’

As a former teacher, it’s easy for me to connect those involved with last year’s jailbreak with their past, as students who went through the storm, were displaced, and returned to schools in tumult.
by Julienne Louis-Anderson May 12, 2026 Updated May 13, 2026

As Duncan waits for courts to act, New Orleanians pose for selfies with him

On Monday, thanks to a favorable decision, Duncan served as clerk of Criminal District Court for three hours, until the Fifth Circuit put a hold on that decision. Outside of court, he has become a newfound New Orleans celebrity.
by Katy Reckdahl May 8, 2026 Updated June 20, 2026

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About The Lens

The Lens fights to reveal and report on issues that impact the community and the region.

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The Lens fights to reveal and report on issues that impact the community and the region. Staunchly defending the public's right to know and deeply committed to sharing our knowledge with the community at large. We center human impact in all our work.
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