Feds: Louisiana Keeps People Incarcerated Past Their Prison Sentences
Federal prosecutors accuse the State of Louisiana of keeping prisoners incarcerated past their release date.
The Justice Department believes this is a violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects people from undue or unfair incarceration.
Investigation Lasted Several Years
This lawsuit came after an investigation that lasted several years. On Jan 25, 2023, federal officials concluded in their report that Louisiana violated inmates’ rights by not releasing them at the end of their sentences.
Between January and April 2022 alone, 26.8% of the people released from LDOC’s custody were held past their release dates, with 24% of those people spending more than 90 days in prison after the date they were supposed to be released. On average, prisoners spent 29 extra days in custody after the end of their sentences.
The investigation also found that the issue of holding inmates past their release lasted more than a decade.
Official Statements
In a published statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said, “Every person in the United States, whether incarcerated or otherwise, enjoys certain fundamental rights.”
“To incarcerate people indefinitely, as LDOC does here, not only intrudes on individual liberty but also erodes public confidence in the fair and just application of our laws,” Clarke said.
For their part, Louisiana officials deny the feds’ claims.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and State Attorney General Liz Murrill described the lawsuit in a joint statement as “Grinch Joe Biden’s parting Christmas present to the State and the people of Louisiana”:
“As we have continuously said, this problem stems from the failed criminal justice reforms pushed by the past administration,” said the statement. “These reforms ultimately complicated the criminal justice system, giving criminals a get out of jail free card.”
The investigation of this case is still ongoing. If you have information relevant to the investigation, you can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by phone at 1-833-492-0097 or email at community.louisianadoc@usdoj.gov.
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