Rampant use and abuse of ‘solitary confinement’ key to what ails Louisiana prisons
Vera Institute study offers hope for change
Category
Criminal Justice
Asking why and how, and what needs to be done.
Orleans Parish prosecutors are using fake subpoenas to pressure witnesses to talk to them
The DA's office is sending notices labeled “subpoena” to witnesses, threatening jail time if the person ignores them. But they're not real subpoenas. An assistant district attorney says they’re meant to persuade people who may ignore a simple letter.
Standing tall on the front lines of justice in an unjust system
Jailed for months without trial, 'James' is rescued by Public Defenders.
Props to NOPD for upgrading its response to domestic violence
No more brushing incidents aside as merely personal.
Time to toss non-unanimous jury verdicts, a vestige of Jim Crow
Louisiana is one of two states that tolerate this unjust legal shortcut.
Immigrant rights group says Orleans sheriff has pledged not to jail people accused of violating immigration law
Since 2013, Sheriff Marlin Gusman has refused to honor most requests by federal agents to detain illegal immigrants.
The state has reinstated monthly bonuses to some of Gusman’s deputies, but questions remain
The state says everything is fine, but we found potential problems with 27 deputies.
New Orleans City Council eliminates bail requirements for most petty crimes
People accused of minor crimes in Municipal Court will be released automatically if they promise to appear in court.
McKnight killing shows how Louisiana’s ‘stand your ground’ law codifies bigotry
What passes for justice in a state where the NRA writes gun laws.
Orleans sheriff plans new facility for inmates who need mental-health and medical care
Sheriff Marlin Gusman has wanted to build such a facility, but the proposal is smaller than what he has envisioned.
