Jindal proposes reforms for juvenile justice system

Gov. Bobby Jindal has unveiled several reforms he will pursue during the upcoming legislative session that are intended to help Louisiana’s at-risk youth and reduce recidivism rates for juveniles and nonviolent drug offenders. The proposed juvenile justice reforms include streamlining the system of care for youth currently in the juvenile justice system and also strengthening programs to help at-risk youth on the front-end so that they do not end up in the juvenile justice system. The sentencing reform proposals include moving to more effective community-based alternatives to incarceration—under the supervision of the Department of Corrections—as a way to treat nonviolent, non-sex, and nonhabitual drug offenders. “With these reforms, we can help at-risk youth on the front-end so that they can avoid a future of incarceration and instead become productive members of society,” Jindal says in a written release. “Providing our children with community-based support before they fall through the cracks will go a long way toward strengthening our communities and keeping our kids out of trouble.” Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III was unfamiliar with the proposed legislation but says his initial reaction is positive. “Anything we can do to help at-risk kids is surely welcome,” says Moore. “We have a lot of programs in Louisiana that are designed to help kids, and I realize money is extremely tight, so I’m glad to see we will put some money into the at-risk kids.” To learn more about Jindal’s proposals, click here.