The Voice of Southwest Louisiana October 2017 Issue
The Voice of Southwest Louisiana October 2017, Local News, Events, Stories and People Magazine.
The Voice of Southwest Louisiana October 2017, Local News, Events, Stories and People Magazine.
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SWLA news<br />
<strong>Louisiana</strong>ns for<br />
Prison Alternatives<br />
By Brenda Hill<br />
<strong>Louisiana</strong>ns for Prison<br />
Alternatives (LPA) hosted a<br />
meeting Monday, <strong>October</strong><br />
2, <strong>2017</strong> at 5:30 p.m. in the<br />
Central Library on Ernest<br />
Street in Lake Charles.<br />
“LPA is a diverse statewide coalition<br />
committed to reducing <strong>Louisiana</strong>’s<br />
imprisonment rate, the highest in the<br />
world. <strong>The</strong> coalition comprises formerly<br />
incarcerated individuals, civil rights<br />
attorneys, criminal justice stakeholders,<br />
health experts, faith communities,<br />
business leaders, elected <strong>of</strong>ficials,<br />
academics, and concerned citizens from<br />
every corner <strong>of</strong> <strong>Louisiana</strong>,” according to<br />
John Burkhart.<br />
John Burkhart is the Criminal Justice<br />
Reform Fellow and Director <strong>of</strong> <strong>Louisiana</strong><br />
Campaign for Equal Justice with<br />
Southern Poverty Law Center. He<br />
facilitated the session and Martha Carol,<br />
Community Advocate and Adrian Rocha,<br />
Outreach Paralegal, assisted him.<br />
“During the <strong>2017</strong> <strong>Louisiana</strong> legislative<br />
session, LPA helped pass ten bills<br />
resulting from the Justice Reinvestment<br />
Task Force, a bipartisan body with<br />
representatives from stakeholders<br />
in the criminal justice system. <strong>The</strong><br />
resulting legislation is projected to lower<br />
<strong>Louisiana</strong>’s incarceration rate by 10% and<br />
save the state $262 million over the next<br />
decade. Like other states to undertake<br />
justice reinvestment, this legislation is<br />
projected to lower <strong>Louisiana</strong>’s crime rate<br />
as well,” says Burkhart.<br />
He adds,”During this fall, LPA will tour<br />
the state to hear from communities and<br />
experts about the policies to push in the<br />
upcoming legislative session, and then<br />
work with representatives and senators<br />
to draft legislation and devise a strategy<br />
to ensure its passage in 2018.”<br />
“Though the work <strong>of</strong> the Justice<br />
Reinvestment Task Force is<br />
complete, <strong>Louisiana</strong> has more<br />
work to do and LPA needs your<br />
help to bring about a more just<br />
and safe <strong>Louisiana</strong>, says Burkhart.”<br />
For more information about LPA and<br />
to join their effort, visit www.splcenter.<br />
org and https://www.facebook.com/<br />
louisianansforprisonalternatives/. We<br />
hope you will join our effort to bring<br />
about a more just and safe <strong>Louisiana</strong>.<br />
Visit www.thevoice<strong>of</strong>southwestla.com<br />
and read John Burkhart’s full details.<br />
Several concerned citizens from our local area attended Monday evening's session.<br />
Volume 5 • Number 3 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM <strong>October</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 5
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