By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Caddo Parish Commissioners voted 11-1 to remove a Confederate flag from outside the Caddo Parish Courthouse in Shreveport this afternoon. Nov. 4, 2011: This story has been corrected to reflect the Louisiana Supreme Court appeal. The third national flag of the Confederate States of America, adopted in […]
Category: Criminal Justice
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Overall crime may be lower, but council wants NOPD to bring down homicides
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas faced tough questioning this afternoon from a skeptical City Council about how his well-publicized reforms are addressing the city’s homicide rate. The chief came armed with a sheaf of statistics to support his efforts, but council members were not receptive just two days […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Police monitor says she's working with volunteers, asks for a million dollars more
By Ariella Cohen, The Lens staff writer | The city’s independent police monitor hired last year to be a watchdog for the New Orleans Police Department needs more money to do the job her office was created to do, she told the City Council today. Susan Hutson’s three-person office is part of the Office of […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Juvenile jail — a.k.a. 'Youth Study Center' — draws fire in studies by advocacy groups
Records obtained by The Lens continue to raise questions about safety and conditions at the Youth Study Center in Gentilly. Image courtesy Kevin Henry, Fox8 News. By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Recent disciplinary actions at the city’s juvenile prison, along with a pair of damning new reports, raise fresh questions about the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Sheriff blocking reform, says councilwoman, causing group to delay decision on jail size
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is delaying a criminal-justice reform measure that would let New Orleans make a final decision on the total number of beds in his jail, the councilwoman most involved in pushing for that measure said this afternoon. Click here to watch Lens reporter […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Landrieu saying little about two no-bid contracts given to Gusman worth $1 million
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | For the second time in a year, Mayor Mitch Landrieu has used an intergovernmental agreement to funnel city money to Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman without seeking bids on the work or showing why Gusman’s services provide the best value to taxpayers. The two contracts likely will […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Gusman plans to pay deputies working city detail; unpaid hours reach back to May
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman admitted today that he has not paid thousands of dollars to reserve deputies working a security detail at the city’s auto impound lot since May, and he said he intends to pay them soon. Click here to watch Lens reporter Matt Davis […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Sheriff's deputies not getting paid for months of work done through new city contract
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | At least a dozen Orleans Parish Sheriff’s deputies are owed thousands of dollars for working a lucrative security detail at the city’s auto impound lots, says one of the deputies who complained that he and others haven’t been paid since starting the moonlighting work in May. Click […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Schools
Cutting suspensions and expulsions called critical to plugging school-to-prison pipeline
John McDonogh High senior Eric Dillard discusses suspension issues at Treme Center gathering. Photo by Jessica Williams. By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | What’s the cause of high suspension and expulsion rates in New Orleans public schools? At a Tuesday night gathering in Treme, public education stakeholders grappled with that question – and […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Group studying New Orleans jail size may consider adding 1,000 beds to complex
Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s jail working group will meet again in October, and it could recommend another 1,000 jail beds on top of the 1,438 that the City Council has already given Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman the go-ahead to build. The group will convene Oct. 19, the first time in 12 weeks. The administration said […]