Louisiana is poised to make a positive change on the criminal justice system. In 2016, Governor John Bel Edwards convened the Louisiana Justice Reinvestment Task Force to study the state’s criminal justice system and recommend strategic changes to get more public safety for each dollar spent. This inter-branch, bipartisan panel of experts found that, with the highest imprisonment rate in the U.S., annual corrections spending at two-thirds of a billion dollars, and high recidivism rates, Louisiana’s taxpayers are not getting a good public safety return on investment.*
There are more African Americans under correctional control, in prison or jail, on probation or parole, than were enslaved in 1850 a decade before the civil war began.” |
In addition to devastating economic impacts, the current criminal justice approach adversely impacts many of the most vulnerable populations in the community, especially impoverished and minority people. Once marked by the system it becomes extremely difficult for these individuals to successfully exit leading to an endless cycle of marginalization, punishment and poverty. All of this not only impacts incarcerated individuals and their families but also creates a burden on the larger community by significantly reducing career opportunities of formerly incarcerated individuals thus decreasing the state’s workforce.
The Justice Reinvestment Task Force work presents a unique and strategic opportunity for us to increase awareness, build and activate support for the creation and passing of a set of bills to ensure Louisiana has a more economical, equitable, and fair criminal justice system during the current legislative session ending in June 2017. The five majority recommendations are of particular importance. These majority recommendations were not supported by the full task force but have the most severe and adverse impact on our community:
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