Louisiana often detains inmates past their release date, DOJ lawsuit says

P.A.
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Louisiana’s prison system detains people for weeks and months after serving their sentencesthe US Department of Justice said in a complaint filed Friday. The lawsuit against the state of Louisiana follows a years-long investigation into what federal officials say is a pattern of “systemic overdetention” that violates inmates’ rights and costs taxpayers millions of dollars a year.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) says that since at least 2012, more than a quarter of people scheduled to be released from Louisiana prisons have been held beyond their release dates. He warned Louisiana officials last year that the state could face lawsuits if it didn’t fix the problems, but department lawyers say the state’s “marginal efforts” to address the problems The issues were “inadequate” and demonstrated “deliberate indifference” to the constitutional rights of incarcerated people.

“(T)he right to individual liberty includes the right to be released from prison on time after the end of the term set by the court,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.

“Incarcerating people indefinitely… not only infringes on individual liberty, but also erodes public confidence in the fair and equitable application of our laws.” »

In a joint statement provided to The Associated Press, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and state Attorney General Liz Murrill blamed the problem on “failed criminal justice reforms” advanced by “the previous administration.” “.

“Last year, we took important steps to keep Louisianans safe and ensure that those who commit the crime also serve their time,” the statement said. “The State of Louisiana is committed to preserving the constitutional rights of the citizens of Louisiana. »

Republican state officials also called the move a last resort lawsuit filed by outgoing President Joe Biden, saying the new Donald Trump administration would not have allowed the case to be filed.

The defenders repeatedly challenged the conditions in Louisiana’s prison systemwhich includes the largest maximum security prison in the country, known as Angolawhere incarcerated individuals toil under a blazing sun pick vegetables by hand in what was once a slave plantation.