Louisiana is the only state in the nation that houses more than half its prisoners in local jails. Most of these jails are in remote, impoverished areas of the state, far from urban centers, and conditions are often deplorable. The head of corrections in the state calls these jails nothing more than "lock and feed facilities." In a bipartisan reform effort, the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled legislature have begun to reform the state's criminal justice system. With FEMA funding they have built a new, modern jail in Plaquemines Parish closer to New Orleans, and have begun transferring inmates there. Many inmates will now be closer to their families and lawyers. State officials are proud of the new jail, though critics say it never should have been built in a flood zone. To what extent are Louisiana's jail reforms really working?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ Contents of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 - Entry Point
01:58 - History of Parish Prisons
04:25 - The bare minimum
05:50 - Overhaul
06:34 - Plaquemines Parish
08:06 - Education is key
10:42 - Better shot at the future
12:21 - Credits
This piece was originally published on Nola.com
https://www.nola.com/news/courts/article_089db1e0-4483-11ea-9dfc-8b85a5f08579.html
Directed and produced by
Joanne Elgart Jennings
Director of Photography
Scott Anger
Editor
Ramiro Segura
Graphic Artist
Joey Chou
Music courtesy of
APM Collection
Tarmo Antti Heikkinen
Emmanuel Jean Binet
Production Assistant
Woody Henriksen
Produced in association with
The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate
Reporter
Bryn Stole
Editor
Gordon Russell
Photographer
Scott Threlkeld
Executive Producers
Lois Vossen
Sally Jo Fifer
Senior Vice President of Content
Jim Sommers
Senior Producer
Stephen Talbot
Associate Producer
Susan Cohen
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