Louisiana has been competing with Oklahoma and Mississippi for the nation’s highest incarceration rate for years. While the state currently holds first place, that may not last long considering two things. One is the Criminal Justice Reform measures signed into law by Gov. John Bel Edwards in 2017 which focused on steering less serious offenders…
In Louisiana as in most other states, when an individual has been convicted of a crime and served their sentences, they’re set free — with restrictions. In some states, that can include limits on the right to vote, get a law license, or hold public office. In Louisiana, however, the restrictions are particularly strict for…
In February, a 59-year-old man was arrested and charged with sexual misconduct with multiple women. He was a longtime teacher and award-winning athletic director at Terrebonne High School in Louisiana, and the women were all students at the time the misconduct occurred. Houma police noted in a news release that they now believe the man…
In April 2019, a 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with the burnings of three African American churches in Louisiana. The suspect, Holden Matthews, is white. Not only did state prosecutors file charges against the suspect for arson, but they also added an additional charge by declaring the arsons a hate crime. Federal officials also…
Last fall, a couple was arrested and accused of producing child pornography. The case stunned many in Louisiana because the two people who got taken into custody were a high-ranking Sheriff’s Office deputy and his wife, a school teacher. According to the police report, officers arrested the couple after finding evidence which included photos of…
As one of the states hardest hit by COVID-19, Louisiana is under a stay-at-home order as the number of coronavirus cases and deaths have surged in the past few weeks. Gov. John Bel Edwards had issued the statewide stay-at-home order through April 13, but has since extended it to April 30. The order allows exceptions,…
In August 2018, two people went to visit an associate at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola and were arrested. According to the Louisiana Department of Corrections, the two visitors were planning to do more than simply visit an inmate. They were also hoping to provide the inmate with drugs, the DOC noted. The case…
Last November, when Louisiana held its statewide election, something truly unique and historic happened. More than 36,000 Louisiana residents were eligible to vote for the first time in years, sometimes decades. They all shared the same reason for having been prevented from voting for so long: they were ex-felons. In 2018, Louisiana lawmakers voted to…
Louisiana is among the toughest states in the nation for repeat offenders, and the state has the country’s strictest life without parole sentencing laws. At least 15% of Louisiana’s prison population consists of people who are serving life without parole. No other state has as high a percentage. Louisiana has more inmates serving life sentences…
Louisiana may be well known for Mardi Gras and amazing southern dishes in New Orleans, but the Bayou State is also known for something else: gambling. Gambling is a top industry in Louisiana, where locals and visitors alike can experience the state’s delectable meals at restaurants located in casinos, or choose to do their gambling…