[00:00:02]
HELLO, UM, COUNCILMAN DARL[Juvenile Task Force on March 19, 2024.]
HURS.I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH JUVENILE DETENTION AND JAIL TASK FORCE PUBLIC MEETING.
UH, WE'VE HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE, UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE WAS THE DETERIORATED C CONDITIONS OF OUR CURRENT FACILITIES FOR BOTH JUVENILE DETENTION AND THE JAIL.
AND THEN WE ALSO GOTTA TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH COULD LOOK LIKE BY EXPLORING BOTH CALPER HU'S JUVENILE FACILITY, UM, AND LAFOURCHE PARISH'S ADULT FACILITY.
AND SO WHAT WE'LL DO TODAY TO START THE MEETING OFF IS, UH, GO OVER A VIDEO.
IT'S ABOUT NINE MINUTES LONG, SO BEAR WITH US.
UM, THAT'LL DEMONSTRATE WHAT OUR CURRENT JAIL FACILITY LOOKS LIKE.
WE DO NOT HAVE THE JUVENILE DETENTION BECAUSE OF LIMITATIONS OF BEING ABLE TO RECORD INSIDE, BUT, UM, UH, JOEL WILL CUE IT AND THEN WE'LL, UH, TAKE IT FROM THERE.
AND LEMME BE CLEAR, THIS VIDEO WAS DONE PRIOR TO, UM, THE TASK FORCE.
SO EXCUSE MY LOGO ON THERE, THAT'S COME FOR ANOTHER REASON, BUT THANK YOU.
[00:10:44]
HEY,[00:10:44]
I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, UM, FOR FORBEARING THROUGH THAT.UM, IT WAS A 10 MINUTE TOUR, BUT OUR TOUR WAS ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS.
YOU GOT TO SEE IN 10 MINUTES THE DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS, UH, OF WHAT, UH, WE SAW OVER THE COURSE OF PERIOD OF TIME, BUT ALSO WHAT THE INMATES HAVE TO SEE EVERY DAY IN THOSE INHUMANE ENVIRONMENTS, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE HERE TO MAKE BATON ROUGE AND EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY, EVEN IF YOU'RE INCARCERATED.
AND SO, UH, WE'LL GO AROUND THE ROOM AND LET EVERYBODY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES WHAT THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS ARE, SO YOU'RE GONNA UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE ON THE TASK FORCE.
START OFF WITH, UH, MR. GODFREY.
AT THE BASE OF THE MIC, YOU'LL SEE A GREEN, UH, GRAY BUTTON AND A GREEN LIGHT.
AND ALSO MAKE SURE YOU TAP IT OFF BECAUSE IT'S BEING RECORDED.
YOUR VOICE WILL BE ON, UH, TV.
UH, MY NAME IS BRACE TRE GODFREY.
I'M THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF POLICY AT THE BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER.
I'M GAIL GROVER, JUDGE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH, DIVISION B.
TAMARI WADE, DIRECTOR OF JUVENILE SERVICES, CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
GOOD AFTERNOON, LESLIE RICARD, CHAMBERS, ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, MAYOR, PRESIDENT SHARON WESTON BROOME.
I AM, UH, JUDGE EBONY JOHNSON RHODE.
I SERVE ON SECTION FOUR AT THE 19 JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT.
I, UH, EBR METRO COUNCILMAN AARON MOOCH, DISTRICT FOUR, DARRYL HARRIS, METROPOLITAN COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT FIVE, SID TRO, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF, KATHY VNO, WARDEN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON.
I'M JOE BUTLER, UH, DIRECTOR OF BILLING AND GROUNDS OF EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
TIMOTHY WILKINSON, FORMERLY INCARCERATED PERSON.
UH, AND I'M WITH THE, UH, OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND INVESTIGATOR.
GOOD AFTERNOON, SHEREE THOMAS.
JUSTIN ACCOUNTABILITY CENTER OF LOUISIANA COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
AGAIN, UH, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
UH, OUR CHIEF JAILER AND, AND, UH, FOR THE PARISH IS, UH, SHERIFFS TRO.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HIM FOR TWO SECONDS.
YEAH, I THINK YOU COULD SEE BY THAT VIDEO JUST WHAT DEPLORABLE CONDITION, UH, THE, UH, PRISON IS ACTUALLY IN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN IN DEPTH ON THIS, UH, BUT I'M GONNA GO OVER A FEW THINGS WITH YOU AND THEN I WANT TO INTRODUCE WARDEN.
BUT, UM, THE PRISON, WE, WE CALL IT, UH, SEPARATED BY TWO AREAS.
THE THE OLDER PRISON AND THE NEWER PRISON.
AND YOU SAW A LOT OF PICTURES FROM IN THERE THAT WAS BUILT BACK IN THE SIXTIES.
UH, AND IT'S, IT'S DILAPIDATED.
I MEAN, IT, IT IS NOT ANYTHING THAT YOU WANNA HAVE YOUR PEOPLE WORKING IN OR HAVING PEOPLE LIVING IN THAT AREA.
UM, THE NEWER PRISON WAS BUILT IN THE EIGHTIES.
IT'S NOT QUITE AS BAD A SHAPE AS THAT IS THAT'S IN, BUT IT'S STILL, UH, IT'S NOT CONDUCIVE WITH HOUSING PEOPLE AND, UH, AND, AND HAVE RUNNING A, A PRISON, UH, IN THE, IN THE FASHION THAT YOU WANT TO RUN IT FROM THE SAFETY STANDPOINT OF NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE IN INCARCERATED THERE, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE, UH, WORKING THERE AS WELL.
I STARTED OUT MY CAREER WITH EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
AND, UH, I WORKED IN THAT PRISON FOR A YEAR.
UH, AND THEN I GOT OUT AND I WAS LATER A SERGEANT IN UNIFORM PATROL WHEN I RESIGNED MY, UH, COMMISSION HERE AND RAN FOR, UH, CHIEF OF POLICE IN BAKER.
I WAS CHIEF OF POLICE IN BAKER FROM 1980 TO 2007 WHEN I RAN FOR SHERIFF.
AND I'VE BEEN SHERIFF SINCE THEN.
A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK TO ME AND SAY, WHY IS THIS BUILDING IN, IN THIS DEPLORABLE CONDITION? UM,
[00:15:01]
I THINK IT'S, UH, FAIR FOR Y'ALL TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WE DON'T OWN THAT BUILDING.WE DON'T OWN THE LAND, THE BUILDING'S OWN.
UH, THE LAND BELONGS TO THE AIRPORT COMMISSION, AND THE BUILDING BELONGS TO CITY PARISH, UH, AND IT'S CITY PARISH'S RESPONSIBILITY.
THEY'RE WELL KNOWS, AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
UM, IT BELONGS TO CITY PARISH.
SO THE, THE MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP IS DUE TO THEM.
NOT THAT WE DON'T DO SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO GET THINGS DONE ON A LEVEL THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE ON, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR BEYOND THAT, WE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY HAND, HAND IN IT.
SO THE, WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
WE'RE TASKED WITH THE DAILY OPERATION OF THE PRISON FROM A, A SECURITY STANDPOINT.
BUT, UM, AT THAT THIS POINT, I'M JUST GONNA TURN IT OVER.
THIS IS OUR, UH, WARDEN KATHY FONTANO.
UH, SHE'S VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE FIELD OF CORRECTIONS.
SHE STARTED WITH THE STATE, WORKED THROUGH THAT.
SHE WAS A WARDEN AT ANOTHER, UH, SHERIFF'S OFFICE IN LAFAYETTE.
AND SHE CAME HERE AND WAS A DEPUTY WARDEN FOR A A PERIOD PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THEN SHE'S WORKED, UH, OUT OF, OUT OF STATE IN THE CORRECTIONAL FIELD.
SO WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE HER BACK, AND SHE'S ASSUMED THE REALM.
SO, UH, KATHY, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND JUST LET YOU GO FROM THERE.
AND IT'S, UH, I CAN TELL YOU, UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE SERVED AS LONG AS I HAVE IN THIS FIELD.
IT'S MY PASSION, IT'S MY LIFE.
I'VE SPENT 30 YEARS IN THIS FIELD, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN IN AN INSTITUTION.
UM, I'VE AUDITED PRISONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND, AND ABROAD.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU AS AN AUDITOR, I WOULD NOT APPROVE THIS PRISON, UM, IN THE SHAPE THAT IT'S IN NOW.
HOWEVER, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO MAKE DUE WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
UM, I SPEND ABOUT 70% OF MY TIME AS THE WARDEN ON BUILDING ISSUES AND BUILDING RELATED, UM, WHETHER IT'S MAKING SURE THAT THE TEMPERATURE IS APPROPRIATE ON THE DORMITORIES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY, OR IT'S, UH, PLUMBING, EXTENSIVE PLUMBING PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER THAT'S RUNNING WATER OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
I CAN SAY THAT, UH, THE SIX PEOPLE THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO WORK OUR BUILDING IN THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER HAVE DONE AN EXEMPLARY JOB RESPONDING TO MY REQUEST, WHICH ARE MANY.
UM, THE INMATES ACTUALLY HELP US OUT A LOT.
UM, NOT ONLY IN CLEANING AND HELPING US TO REPORT THESE, UM, CONDITIONS, UM, BUT AGAIN, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
UM, PRISONS ARE, ARE NOT BUILT AS QUICKLY AS CORRECTIONAL THEORIES ABOUT WHAT WORKS.
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FIELD THAT I'M IN AND CHANGING BEHAVIOR OR GIVING PEOPLE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.
SO MUCH IS RELATED OF COURSE, TO MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
AND WITHOUT A STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THESE NEW CORRECTIONAL OR CARCERAL IDEAS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
I'M WORKING, FOR EXAMPLE, OUT OF TWO PRISONS THAT ARE UP, TWO KITCHENS THAT ARE ABOUT A MILE APART FROM EACH OTHER.
ONE CAN HOLD FOOD AND THE OTHER ONE WE CAN ACTUALLY COOK IN BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE CONDITIONS, UH, WITH THE WALLS BEING OPEN, EXPOSING US TO, TO GARMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AGAIN, I'M DOING, I CAN, I CAN ASSURE YOU, AND I INVITE ALL OF YOU TO COME TO THE PARISH PRISON AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, ONE OF THOSE SLIDES WAS A, A PICTURE OF SOME PLASTIC OF, UM, IN THE, IN THE WINDOWS OF ONE OF THE CELL BLOCK AREAS.
AND THAT IF YOU GO TO NOW TODAY, AND I'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT A MONTH IN A COUPLE OF DAYS, IF, UH, HAS PLEXIGLASS THAT'S FITTED.
AND CITY PARISH WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO DO THAT.
HOWEVER, WE COULD ONLY PUT SO MUCH BECAUSE OF THE ORDER, UH, THAT THAT WHICH WE HAD TO ORDER SO MUCH TO, TO SECURE, WHICH HELPS WITH THE HEATING AND COOLING OF THE BUILDING, OF COURSE.
UM, SO WE HAD TO TAKE PEOPLE OFF OF THAT PROJECT THOUGH, SO I COULD FIX SOME TOILETS IN ANOTHER AREA CAUSING US TO MOVE INMATES BECAUSE I CAN'T HAVE INMATES IN CELL BLOCKS THAT OF COURSE DON'T HAVE RUNNING WATER.
AND ALSO THE TOILETS DON'T WORK, OR THE PLUMBING IS COMING UP THROUGH THE FLOORS.
UM, IT, IT IS, IT WOULD TAKE ALL THE MAINTENANCE PEOPLE PROBABLY IN BATON ROUGE TO COME AND ATTACK THESE TWO FACILITIES TO GET US TO WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP SENDING PEOPLE OUT OF PARISH.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'M PROUD, AND AGAIN, I'VE WORKED 30 YEARS IN THIS BUSINESS AND I'M REALLY PROUD TO WORK FOR A MAN WHO'S NOT GONNA ALLOW ME TO KEEP PRISONERS IN THIS CONDITION.
WE HAVE ABOUT 550 INMATES OUT OF PARISH RIGHT NOW AT A COST OF THE STATE RATE.
SO I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT, BUT I CANNOT HOLD THEM IN THE, I CAN STAND HERE AND TELL YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT.
THERE'S NO OTHER PLACE FOR THEM RIGHT NOW UNTIL WE GET THESE AREAS CLEANED UP.
UH, AGAIN, I I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME SEE FOR YOURSELVES, UM, AND WALK THROUGH.
[00:20:01]
THE JUDGES CAME TO SEE ME LAST WEEK AND, UM, I REALLY DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT.I SEE JUDGE JOHNSON IN THE AUDIENCE NOW, AND, UH, JUDGE ROSE, I WANNA THANK YOU TOO FOR WHAT YOU DID.
UM, SHE AND I WERE ABLE TO GET A PRISONER WHO WAS THERE FOR A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE OUT.
AND, UM, I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE TO THE JUDGES.
I REALLY FEEL FOR MY LITTLE PART IN THIS, AND I'M GONNA SHUT UP.
I'M SORRY,
UM, WE NEED TO BUILD A FACILITY THAT'S GONNA FIT BOTH THE JUVENILE AND THE ADULT, UM, PROCESSES.
IF WE COULD BUILD A FACILITY IN ON THE GROUNDS THAT WOULD COVER BOTH PROCESSES WITH SOLID WALLS IN BETWEEN THEM, BUT BRING ALL OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCES TOGETHER, WE COULD STOP TRAFFIC GOING DOWNTOWN.
WE COULD, COULD, WE COULD CUT DOWN THE STEPS IT TAKES TO HAVE SOMEBODY PROCESS THROUGH THE, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS.
THIS IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT'S GONNA COST US TO BUILD THESE THINGS INTO COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT NATIONAL STANDARDS ARE.
AND THIS IS SUCH A BIG PARISH.
AND AGAIN, UM, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PARISH.
WE HAVE TALENTED PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THAT PRISON FOR 20 AND 25 AND 30, 32 YEARS.
I COULD HAVE GONE ANYWHERE, BUT I CAME BACK BECAUSE THIS CAN BE FIXED, BUT WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE.
THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY WE COULD DO THIS ALONE.
AND WE WOULDN'T WANNA DO THIS ALONE.
SO I, THIS IS NOT A JAIL OR A PRISON.
TO ME, THIS IS A CRISIS INTERVENTION CENTER.
WE INTERVENE IN THE CRISIS TO STOP PEOPLE COMING TO ANGOLA.
AND AS A FORMER ASSISTANT WARDEN AT ANGOLA FOR 20 YEARS, WHO SAT AND ATE THREE LAST MEALS WITH ETHEROW INMATES, I KNOW THAT THIS CAN WORK, Y'ALL.
WE CAN STOP MURDER IF WE ALL GET TOGETHER AND BUILD SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL BE PROUD OF AND, AND HELP PEOPLE TO REPAIR THEIR LIVES.
HEY, I WANT TO, UM, BE CLEAR ON THE RULES REAL QUICK.
I TOOK A PERSONAL POINT OF PRIVILEGE AS THE SHERIFF, AS A CHIEF JAIL, BUT ALSO TO INTRODUCE THE NEW WARDEN SO YOU ALL WOULD KNOW WHO SHE WAS.
UM, AND THAT, UH, WARDEN GRIMES HAS MOVED TO ANOTHER ROLE WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
BUT ON EACH SLIDE WE HAVE A, A VERY SHORT AGENDA FOR THE DAY, BUT WE DO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IT'LL JUST BE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE, UH, THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETING.
SO IT'LL BE THREE MINUTES PER INDIVIDUAL PER COMMENT.
SO WE'VE SHOWN YOU THE VIDEO OF WHAT THE, THE PARISH PRISON, I HATE TO SAY THE WORD PRISON 'CAUSE IT'S NOT A PRISON, BUT, UH, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR ADDRESS, AND, UM, FEEL FREE TO COMMENT.
NAME IS REGINALD DEVO, DE CAPITAL V AS IN VICTOR, OLDA, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, 1253
UH, I WATCHED THE, THE, THE VIDEO AND I HADN'T BEEN INSIDE THE PRISON TO, TO SEE WHICH IS SHOWN PERSON, BUT JUST BY LOOKING AT THAT VIDEO, IT'S A LOT OF MAINTENANCE, MAINTENANCE ISSUES THAT WILL TAKE A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF, A LOT OF TIME.
AND THE STRUCTURE OF IT, THIS, THE CELL BLOCKING SOME OF THE DORMS IS, IS DANGEROUS FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND FOR SOME OF THE OFFENDERS.
SO IF YOU, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THAT ENVIRONMENT AND, UH, YOU KNOW, REMOVE THE, THE, THE DEPRESSING ATMOSPHERE AND IT, IT, IT'LL CHANGE THE, THE BEHAVIOR OF THE OFFENDERS AND IT'LL BE GOOD FOR THE EMPLOYEES KNOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT IN DANGER.
AND THEN IN A ENVIRONMENT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SORT, SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PLEASANT, THEN WALKING INTO SOMETHING, THE PRESENT, YOU KNOW, I, I'M A RETIRED, UH, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER.
AND ANYTHING GOOD OR BAD, I'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED IT.
SO IT, IT, IT LOOKS LIKE IT, A NEW FACILITY IS NEEDED TO, TO CORRECT ALL OF THIS.
'CAUSE IT'S JUST TOO MUCH TO TRY TO RE TO TRY TO REPAIR ALL OF THOSE, UH, ALL THOSE AREAS TO, UM, THAT'S, UH, MY COMMENT WITH CONCERNING THE PRISON.
IF I MAY, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION? YES, SIR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME BACK TO WORK
I, I, I TRIED AND THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
ANY MORE COMMENTS? I KNOW A LOT OF Y'ALL HAVE.
I'M A GRANDMOTHER OF TWO JUVENILES THAT LIVE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
I'M A NEW ORLEANS NATIVE, BUT I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN ASCENSION PARISH.
AND I'M, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY GRANDCHILDREN THAT'S GROWING UP IN THIS PARISH.
I HEARD YOU MENTION TWO DATES, THE 1960S IN THE 1980S.
AND WE ARE HERE, WE ARE IN THE TWO THOUSANDS.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE SPENDING TAX DOLLARS IS BUILD SOMETHING THAT'S LASTING 20, AT LEAST 20 OR SO YEARS, AND THEN EVERY 20 YEARS YOU GOTTA BUILD A NEW ONE.
THE QUESTION, SINCE THE SIXTIES, WHEN THE FIRST ONE WAS BUILT, HAS IT DECREASED, UM, CRIME ON THE STREETS IN THE PARISH OF BATON ROUGE?
[00:25:01]
SO WE GET THE SIXTIES.THE EIGHTIES, AND NOW WE TALK ABOUT THE TWO THOUSANDS.
UM, YOU, YOU ARE VERY PROUD TO BE WORKING UNDER THE MAN WHO, UNDER A MAN WHO WILL NOT ALLOW THE INMATES TO LIVE IN THAT WAY.
I WOULD BE VERY PROUD AS A GRANDMOTHER TO HAVE GRANDCHILDREN RESIDE IN A PARISH WHERE THAT MONEY WAS SPENT ON A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT HAD, UM, COSMETOLOGY, WELDING, UM, CONSTRUCTION, ALL LIKE WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, BOOKER T WASHINGTON SENIOR HIGH, IT WAS A VO-TECH SCHOOL.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO COME OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL WITH, UM, LICENSES TO GO GET LICENSES TO SELL OUR OWN BUSINESSES RIGHT OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT ALLEVIATE, THAT WILL ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE, UM, THE PRESSURE ON THE, THE CITY OR SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON THE PARENTS RAISING THE KIDS WHEN THEY CAN COME OUT AND THEY CAN BECOME BUSINESS OWNERS INSTEAD OF CRIMINALS OR INMATES OR PRISONERS.
UM, SO I WOULD, I WOULD BE PROUD TO SEE THAT MONEY SPENT IN ANOTHER WAY.
SO EVEN THE INMATES THAT YOU HAVE NOW, IF YOU BUILT THAT SCHOOL THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, LET THEM BE THE FIRST STUDENTS AND THEN WHEN THEY GRADUATE, MAKE IT A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL OR A PUBLIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL FOR SEVENTH THROUGH 12TH GRADE.
AND THE STUDENTS WILL BE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE BUSINESS OWNERS WHEN THEY FINISH HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'LL BE PROUD TO SAY THAT I ATTENDED A SCHOOL WHERE I'M LEARNING TO BUILD MY OWN HOUSE, OR I'M LEARNING TO BECOME A, UM, HAIRSTYLIST MAYBE TO THE, TO THE CELEBRITIES OR WHATEVER, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF WHILE THEY'RE LEARNING.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? THANK YOU.
UM, SO MY NAME IS AMELIA HERRERA AND I'M GONNA JUMP RIGHT IN.
FIRST, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE CONSTITUTE AS A SOLUTION OR YOUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT DEFINES A RESOLUTION.
INSTEAD, IT IS ABOUT ELEVATING THE VOICES OF THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY THESE NUMEROUS INJUSTICES CAUSED BY THIS DETENTION FACILITY AND IMPACT OF INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS MYSELF AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.
INSIDE THE WALLS OF E BOR PARISH JAIL, WE WITNESS A LACK OF CARE IN HUMANE TREATMENT THAT REPRESENTS A COMPLETE DISREGARD OF HUMAN LIFE.
THE VIOLENCE FROM STABBINGS TO HORRIFIC PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ASSAULTS, THE PREVALENCE OF DRUGS AND OVERDOSES ALL PAINTED GLEN PICTURE, OUR LOVED ONES ENDURE THIS TORTURE CHAMBER FOR MONTHS, SOMETIMES YEARS WITHOUT A TRIAL OR ANYTHING OF A SORTING SIGHT.
THIS IS A TRAGEDY THAT SPEAKS TO VOLUMES TO OUR BROKEN SYSTEMS EVERY DAY WE LIVE IN FEAR OF RECEIVING THAT DREADED PHONE CALL INFORMED US THAT OUR LOVED ONE IS GONE ON.
IT IS A LIVING NIGHTMARE FOR MYSELF AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITY, JUST AS INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS.
WE ARE NOT DELUSIONED TO THINK THAT JAIL OR PRISON SHOULD BE A WALK IN THE PARK.
WE KNOW THAT THAT IS NOT HOW IT SHOULD BE.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE SPEAK AND I SAY WE, BECAUSE I'M SPEAKING FOR A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, WE ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BREEDING GROUND FOR ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND ILL INTENTIONS.
IT IS DISHEARTENING TO WITNESS OFFICERS WHO MISUSE THEIR POWER, TAKING THEIR ANGER OUT, AND THEIR MISERY ON VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS AWAITING THEIR DAY IN COURT.
I COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THIS HORRIFIC ISSUE THAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT FOR YEARS BEFORE THIS FACILITY BECAME A WASTE STATION OF DESPAIR, TORTURE, AND LOST SOULS.
WE CAN NO LONGER RELY ON BUSINESS AS USUAL INSIDE OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH JAIL, A NEW JAIL TO FIX THE MARADE OF BROKENNESS, THE INADEQUATE HEALTH CARE.
30 SECONDS BEFORE WE INVEST IN ANOTHER PRISON, LET US FOCUS ON THE NAILS THAT SEAL THE COFFINS OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE LIVES IN JEOPARDY WHILE THEY'RE INCARCERATED IN EBR PARISH THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE PEOPLE THAT WORK INSIDE THEIR ILL TENSIONS, THE WAY THEY'RE BRUTALIZING, SEXUALLY ASSAULTING, SETTING OUR LOVED ONES UP BEFORE WE BUILD A NEW JAIL.
LET'S ADDRESS THE PEOPLE THAT IS, THAT ARE NOW RUNNING THE JAIL.
[00:30:04]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.ANYBODY ELSE? GOOD AFTERNOON, REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON.
UH, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
UH, PERSONNEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES I KEEP HEARING ABOUT.
THESE WERE FACILITIES THAT WERE BUILT IN THE SIXTIES, AND MY QUESTION IS, WHO WAS THE ARCHITECT THAT BUILT THEM AT THE TIME? WHERE ARE THE WORK ORDERS? WHERE IS THE TRACK RECORD OF WHAT MAINTENANCE, IF ANY, HAS BEEN DONE? I PERSONALLY BELIEVE ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THIS TASK FORCE TROUBLES ME ABOUT IS THIS SHEER IDEA THAT THE POINT IS SOMEHOW IN AGREEMENT THAT WE NEED TO BE BUILT BIGGER AND AND MORE EFFICIENT CAGES.
AND AS A PARISH, WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT CRIMINALIZING THE UNSHELTERED, NOT CRIMINALIZING THOSE WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, ADDRESSING OUR REAL ISSUES AROUND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
AND WHEN WE DO DECIDE AS A PARISH, AS A TAXPAYERS WHO WILL HAVE TO EAT THIS $500 MILLION BOND, WE SHOULD BE MAKING TWO DECISIONS.
ONE IS, WHY IN THE WORLD WILL WE PUT OUR CHILDREN NEXT TO OUR ADULTS IN ANY KIND OF PLANNING? AND SECONDLY, WHY WILL WE CONTINUE WITH A MISGUIDED, UH, PRESENTATION THAT SAYS THAT SOMEHOW JUVENILE JUSTICE IS ABOUT THE SAME LOW HANGING FRUIT AS ADULT CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
OUR CHILDREN ARE VALUABLE AND THEY DESERVE REHABILITATIVE AND RESTORATIVE AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING.
THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING THAT QUITE FRANKLY, IN A PRETRIAL FACILITY WE ARE DOING WITH ADULTS, WITH ADULTS, WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IS MAKING SURE AS FEW OF OUR CITIZENS HAVE TO GO INTO A FACILITY AND MAKING SURE THROUGH ADEQUATE FUNDING OF PUBLIC DEFENSE AND GETTING RID OF SOME OF THE OTHER BOOM DOGGLES THAT KEEP PEOPLE IN THERE BECAUSE OF POVERTY, THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR DAY IN COURT AND GO HOME AND FIGHT THEIR CASE.
THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY SERVING TIME DOESN'T JUSTIFY BUILDING BIGGER CAGES.
SO THAT 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW, WE ARE FINDING WAYS TO KEEP THAT BUILDING FILLED.
9 5 22 WEST CORONADO DRIVE RIDGE, LOUISIANA.
UM, I WON'T REPEAT WHAT WAS SAID ALREADY, BUT I AGREE WITH
UM, MY CONCERN IS, TOO, ABOUT BUILDING BIGGER JAILS.
'CAUSE WHEN WE DO, WE FILL THEM, WE GONNA FIND A WAY TO FILL THEM.
MY THING IS, IF WE, UM, LOOK AT THE THINGS THAT KEEP THIS JAIL FILLED UP AND WE START PUTTING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES AND PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES AND START CRIMINALIZING OUR HOMELESSNESS, THEN WE WOULDN'T NEED SUCH A BIGGER PLACE.
AND SO I WAS THINKING ABOUT, I I MISSED THE VIDEO, BUT I'VE BEEN INSIDE THERE BEFORE AND PROBABLY DIDN'T SEE SOME OF THOSE AREAS THAT YOU SHOWED BUT MOVING.
'CAUSE IF WE BUILD IT, WE ARE GONNA BUILD IT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO YOU'RE GONNA BUILD IT WHERE IT IS.
SO IS IT, UM, IF WE COULD GET THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT DON'T NEED TO BE THERE, LIKE PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, HOMELESSNESS, UM, PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD BAIL AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU COULD CLOSE ONE SIDE, TEAR ONE SIDE DOWN AND, AND, AND REBUILD THAT SIDE AND MOVE THE PEOPLE OVER OR SOMETHING INSTEAD OF MOVING THESE PEOPLE FURTHER AWAY WHERE THEY PEOPLE CAN'T VISIT THEM.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE CONCERNS I HAVE.
IT LOOKS BAD, BUT LIKE, UM, SOME OF THE CITIZENS SAID BEFORE, IF WE ADDRESS THE THINGS THAT'S GOING ON IN THERE, THE THE REAL ISSUES AND MAYBE WE COULD DEPOPULATE THAT JAIL AND WON'T NEED SUCH A BIGGER, WE ADDRESS THE OTHER ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE, UM, VICTIMIZING OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, ANYONE ELSE? MY JUDGE IS ON THE TASK FORCE TOO NOW.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU GO AHEAD AND SPEAK.
UM, I'VE LISTENED, I'VE OBSERVED, UM, THE ISSUES OF OVERCROWDED THIS AND, AND THE ATION, THE ELABORATING CONDITIONS.
UM, WHAT I WANT TO STRESS IS MOVING BEYOND THE PAST.
I WANT US TO MOVE BEYOND THE PAST.
AND, UM, I, I DON'T WANT TO SIGN BLAME ON STAFF OR MANAGEMENT OR WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENED NOW IS
[00:35:01]
WE'VE GOT SERIOUS OFFENDERS, PERPETRATED CRIMES, VIOLENT CRIMES, AND WE NEED TO HOUSE THEM UNTIL THAT DAY IN COURT OCCURS.AND WE NEED TO HOUSE THEM IN A FACILITY THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR, UH, BEHAVIOR.
SO WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO NOW IS SAY, GIVE US THE TOOLS AND RESOURCES AND GIVE US THE ARRANGEMENT FOR OUR JUVENILES THAT, UH, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED TO SEGREGATE AND SEPARATE.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BUILD A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WE COULD GO TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT? AND, AND WHAT I'M ASKING US TO DO IS TO BE REALISTIC AND BE VERY FUTURISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR OFFENDERS.
UH, SOME OF THESE ARE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SOME OF 'EM ARE NOT.
BUT WE DON'T WANT THEM HOUSED IN A BEHAVIORAL SITUATION THAT'S NOT CONDUCIVE TO THEIR, THEIR, THEIR, UM, HEALTH.
AND, UM, I THINK IF WE, IF WE COME TOGETHER AND DO THIS AND GO TO THE PUBLIC NOW AND SAY, LOOK, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT, THAT WE COULD GET A-C-A-A-A SUPPORT.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ENVISION, AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN SEPARATED LONG ENOUGH, WE ARE TIRED OF THAT.
WE WANT, WE WANT A WHOLESOME COMMUNITY.
WE WANT A FLAGSHIP DETENTION FACILITY WHERE WE HOUSE PEOPLE TEMPORARILY UNTIL THEIR DAY IN COURT.
AND WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS NOT THAT.
AND THEN, AND NONE OF US WANT THAT.
I DON'T THINK NONE OF US WANT THAT.
THERE'S, THERE'S CONCERN THAT IF WE BUILD ANOTHER FACILITY, WE ARE GOING TO FILL IT WITH MORE PEOPLE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA FILL ANYTHING WITH MORE PEOPLE EXCEPT THAT CONDUCT IS GOING TO WHAT? GET 'EM THERE.
IT'S THAT CONDUCT IS THEIR CRIMINALITY IS GETTING THEM ARRESTED.
AND IT, THOSE THAT ARE VIOLENT NEEDS TO BE HOUSED SAFELY AND WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
SO I'M, I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY THAT BECAUSE I, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BREAK INTO A, A SERIES OF CAMPS AND, AND TERRITORIAL SPACES.
I WANT US TO COME TOGETHER AND BUILD FOR THE FUTURE.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO COME UP.
SAY, UH, ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? MY NAME IS EMILY ROBERTSON WRIGHT.
THERE'S A MOM, GRANDMOTHER, GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, GREAT AUNT IN THE LIFE.
I'VE LIVED IN LOUISIANA ALL MY LIFE, EXCEPT MY TRAVELING AS FAR AS A RESPIRATORY, THE THERAPIST AND NURSE AROUND THE COUNTRY IS CONCERNED.
I'VE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SYSTEM FOR WELL OVER 19 YEARS.
OUR LEGISLATURE JUST GAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION THE ABILITY TO HOLD PEOPLE FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANT UNDERNEATH THE NEW RULES THAT THEY JUST DID.
BECAUSE NOW INSTEAD OF THEM DOING A, A POST-CONVICTION RELIEF, UH, REQUESTS, GIVING THEM TWO YEARS IN ORDER TO DO IT, WHICH THEY COULDN'T DO IT IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, NOW THEY'VE CHARTED IT DOWN TO ONE YEAR, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY CAN'T, THE PEOPLE THAT'S INCARCERATED, WHETHER YOU GUILTY OR INNOCENT, IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER YOUR POST-CONVICTION RELIEF AND STUFF, GUESS WHAT? YOU STUCK IN THERE FOR.
AS LONG AS THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION ORDER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE JUDGE, WHAT TIME THE JUDGE GAVE YOU.
ANYTHING ELSE, I THINK LOUISIANA NEEDS TO, 'CAUSE IT'S GOING DOWN SOMETHING REALLY BAD.
THE LAST, THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT FOUR TO EIGHT YEARS IS GONNA BE TERRIBLE.
WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING.
WE CAN'T LET CON CONTINUOUSLY LET THE FACT THAT THIS ONE DOING THIS, THIS ONE DOING THAT, WE NEED TO GET OFF OUR BUTTS AND DO SOMETHING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
THE MENTAL HEALTH IN THE FACILITIES, IT'S TERRIBLE.
THEY GOT PEOPLE IN THERE THAT'S NOT EVEN GETTING THEIR MEDICINE.
THEY DO HAVE A PROBLEM WONDERING WHERE THEY GONNA SLEEP, HOW THEY GOING TO EAT THE CONDITIONS OF THE PLACES.
NOT JUST EAST BAT WARD, PARISH, PRISON, ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
I'M SORRY, ALL OVER LOUISIANA.
THEY MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PUTTING PEOPLE IN THAN THEY ARE ABOUT GETTING THEM OUT.
[00:40:01]
UH, 30 SECONDS.AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES DEFINITELY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
ARE THERE ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? UH, JIMMY AER I JUST WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, Y'ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE CONDITION, THE CONDITION, THE CONDITION.
UH, IT'S BECAUSE THESE FACILITIES ARE OLD.
THEY DO NOT, YOU KNOW, MEET THE NEW REQUIREMENTS.
UH, BASIC A CA REQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO THAT.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE VERY DEPRESSING ENVIRONMENTS.
ALRIGHT? THE NEW FACILITIES THAT ARE BUILT TODAY HAVE MORE OF A HOME ENVIRONMENT, ALRIGHT? AND IN ADDITION TO THAT HOME ENVIRONMENT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE COLORS THAT ARE CALMING.
YOU'RE TRYING TO CALM THESE PEOPLE DOWN.
YOU, YOU'RE TRYING TO GET 'EM BACK TO THINKING STRAIGHT.
ALRIGHT? THERE'S EXTENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES THAT ARE PUT IN THESE DAYS.
UH, EXTENSIVE EDUCATION, UH, FACILITIES, EXTENSIVE JOB GROWTH FACILITIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET OUT ON THE STREET AND YOU BEEN IN JAIL AND YOU HADN'T LEARNED A THING, YOU CAN GO PRETTY MUCH RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU WERE.
IF YOU CAN LEARN A TRADE, IF YOU LEARN HOW TO BUILD THAT HOUSE, OR YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO PUT IN SOME PLUMBING OR, YOU KNOW, YOU GET YOUR GED AND TAKE SOME COLLEGE COURSES, ALL THAT CAN BE DONE ONLINE TODAY.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT CAN BE DONE, UH, TO HELP THESE PEOPLE AND TO TRY AND KEEP 'EM FROM COMING BACK.
'CAUSE EVEN IF THEY GO THROUGH PRETRIAL AND THEN THEY, YOU KNOW, GO TO DOCI MEAN SOONER OR LATER THEY MAY GET OUT.
SO YOU NEED TO TRAIN THEM AT EVERY STEP, YOU KNOW, TO GROW THEM, UH, INTO A RESPONSIBLE ADULT, UH, IN THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE.
UH, ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? I AM KYLA ROMANAK, AND I'M THE CHIEF PUBLIC DEFENDER IN BATON ROUGE.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS AN EITHER OR PROPOSITION.
WE NEED A DECENT FACILITY WHERE HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE TREATED AND FELT AND FEEL LIKE HUMAN BEINGS AND INSIDE THAT FACILITY, WE NEED THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
WE NEED THE VOCATIONAL SERVICES.
I'M NOT SURE WHY WE WOULD MAKE THIS AN EITHER OR.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET OUR PRETRIAL POPULATION DOWN TO ZERO.
AND IF WE'RE NOT GONNA GET IT DOWN TO ZERO, THEN WE NEED A PLACE WHERE THOSE SERVICES CAN HAPPEN WHILE PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR TRIAL.
YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT AT ZERO, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S NOT REALISTIC.
AND IF WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT, THERE IS JUST NO WAY.
AND I THINK THE VIDEO THAT WE SAW, THE NINE MINUTE VIDEO, WHAT WE WOULD'VE NEEDED TO ADD WAS THE, THE SMELL FOR SOUND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE EFFECT.
BECAUSE ANYONE WHO'S BEEN IN THAT FACILITY KNOWS THAT IT IS A DEPLORABLE PLACE WHERE WE CANNOT EXPECT ANYONE TO BE MENTALLY HEALTHY, ANYONE TO THINK CLEARLY ABOUT DECISIONS THEY NEED TO MAKE IN TERMS OF HOW TO RESOLVE THEIR CASES.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY THAT IF WE'RE GONNA MOVE BATON ROUGE FORWARD, THAT WE NEED A BOTH, WE NEED A DECENT FACILITY AND WE NEED GOOD PROGRAMS GOING ON WITHIN THAT FACILITY SO THAT THOSE WHO CANNOT BOND OUT AT LEAST RECEIVE THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? I'LL GO TO THE TASK FORCE, JUST KIND OF BY SHOW OF HAND, UH, SO I CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TALK OVER EACH OTHER.
WE DON'T HAVE THE, ALL THE TECHNOLOGY WORKING FOR THIS MEETING.
SO, UM, I WANNA THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TOUR THE FACILITY.
AND WHAT I WILL SAY AS A JUDGE AT THE 19TH, JDC, UM, WITH A PRIMARILY CRIMINAL DOCKET, THE REALITY IS, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP CRIME JUST BECAUSE WE BUILD A NEW FACILITY.
OKAY? UM, A NEW FACILITY IS ABSOLUTELY NEEDED.
UM, BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES IN AN, IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO THOSE PARTICULAR PEOPLE, RIGHT? UM, THEY JUST, LIKE MRS. ROMANAK SAID, THEY NEED THE APPROPRIATE SERVICES.
OKAY? I SEE THAT EVERY DAY WHEN I'M ON THE BENCH.
[00:45:01]
HEALTH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA ADDRESS PEOPLE HAVING VOCATIONAL SKILLS.
UM, THE REALITY IS, MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HOUSED IN THE PARISH PRISON DO NOT HAVE A 12TH GRADE EDUCATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASK EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT COMES BEFORE ME, DID YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL? WE SEE THAT THEY HAVE A LIMITED EDUCATION.
SO IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN A PRETRIAL DETENTION FACILITY, THEN THEY NEED TO BE RECEIVING SOME TYPE OF EDUCATION SO THAT THEY CAN COME OUT AND BE A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
SO WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ALL IS JUST LIKE CHIEF DON JOHNSON JUST SAID, THIS CANNOT BE AN EITHER OR, RIGHT? UM, JUST BECAUSE WE BUILD A NEW FACILITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA OR THE, UM, CITY PARISH DOESN'T HAVE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO BUILD THE NEW SCHOOLS AND TO PUT THE NECESSARY FUNDS INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE A HOLISTIC APPROACH, NOT JUST A SINGULAR APPROACH, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE TOOLS THAT WE NEED TO START WITH.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THERE WAS A WHOLE, IN THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION.
THERE'S A WHOLE GAMBIT OF, OF DIFFERENT THINGS EVERYWHERE FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST BUILDING THE FACILITY, EXPANDING THE FACILITY, FOCUSING MORE ON THE EMPLOYEES, UH, FOCUSING ON SERVICES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I, I THINK WHAT, WHAT I SEE IN THIS TASK FORCE IS, IS ONE, WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY GONNA
I MEAN, THE, THE WHOLE THING'S GONNA BOIL DOWN TO FUNDING AND WHAT WE CAN BUILD.
WHAT'S THE MOST EFFICIENT THAT WE CAN BUILD FOR WHAT FUNDING THAT WE CAN GET, WE CAN APPROPRIATE LIKE IT MOST PEOPLE HERE, I TOOK THE TOUR OF THE FACILITIES, UH, JUVENILE FACILITIES ALSO, AND IT'S, IT'S HORRIBLE.
ONE I'LL SAY TO BE HOUSING SOME PEOPLE IN THERE FOR SHORT TERM OR LONG TERM, AND TWO, FOR OUR AMAZING CITY PARISH WORKERS, SHERIFF'S OFFICERS, CITY POLICE OFFICERS, AND EVERYTHING THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT BUILDING.
ALSO, IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
UM, THE FACT THAT THE FACILITIES WERE BUILT IN THE SIXTIES AND HAVEN'T BEEN REBUILT BACK SINCE THEN.
THAT'S JUST A IMMEDIATE, YOU KNOW, THIS NEEDS TO BE REBUILT NOW.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH, UM, NEW TECHNOLOGIES.
GENTLEMEN BROUGHT IT UP A WHILE AGO ABOUT THE WAY THE PRISONS ARE BUILT.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN HOMES WERE BUILT LONG TIME AGO IN THE SIXTIES, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, HALLWAY ROOM, ROOM ROOM.
YOU HAD A DINING ROOM, LIVING ROOM.
NOW EVERYTHING'S BUILT ON AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN, MORE OPEN SPACE AND THINGS LIKE THAT ACCOMMODATING.
THE NEW PRISONS NOW ARE PROBABLY THE SAME WAY.
WE'VE TOURED SOME NEW FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING, AND YOU HAVE TO TRY AND KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES.
BUT THE POINT BOILS DOWN TO THE CONDITION OF THESE FACILITIES AND WHAT WE'RE DUMPING INTO THE MAINTENANCE.
WHAT WE'RE DUMPING INTO HAVING TO SEND PEOPLE OFF TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND PAY THAT PRICE.
WHAT ALL DOES THAT BOIL DOWN TO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, AND BUILD OUR OWN FACILITY TO, TO ACCOMMODATE THIS AND, AND MAYBE OVERALL SAVE THE TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
SO THAT TO ME IS WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.
IF, IF DOING THAT WITH THE PRISON FACILITY ITSELF AND THE JUVENILE FACILITY, AND WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON BOTH OF THESE.
WE CAN'T FOCUS ON ONE OF THE OTHER.
THIS WHOLE THING IS TO FOCUS ON BOTH OF THESE FACILITIES AND WHAT OUR JUVENILE, OUR PRISON SYSTEM IS LIKE HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
I THINK ULTIMATELY WE'RE GONNA BENEFIT BY BASICALLY COST SAVINGS FROM KEEPING, NOT HAVING TO DUMP MONEY INTO EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I THINK TASK FORCE, I HOPE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR, IS TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF FACILITIES WE WANT.
WHERE ARE WE GONNA GET THE MONEY FROM AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, UH, TO, SO I SPENT OVER, OVER 16 YEARS IN PRISONS, UM, ACROSS THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, INCLUDING EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON.
I'M THANKFUL TO BE ON THIS TASK FORCE BECAUSE, UH, UNLIKE ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S SITTING UP HERE, OFFER A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU WILL.
UH, I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS FROM EVERYBODY.
UH, AND I THINK THAT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED IS SOMEONE MENTIONED, UH, THE WAY THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INCARCERATED OR TREATED, WHICH IS ALSO A BIG CONCERN OF MINE, UM, BECAUSE OF WHERE I'VE BEEN.
UM, AND I'VE COME OVER THE YEARS TO REALIZE THAT, THAT
[00:50:02]
WE ARE NOT IN CONTROL OF PEOPLE.UM, THE, THE NEWER PRISONS AND WE'VE BEEN STUDYING BEST PRACTICES AND VISITING PRE, UH, LOCAL, UH, STATE FACILITIES THAT ARE, ARE PRETRIAL FACILITIES.
AND WHEN YOU WALK IN THEM, WHEN I WALKED IN THEM, IT TOOK ME TO A PLACE THAT I'D NEVER BEEN BECAUSE IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON.
THE WAY THAT THEY, THE WAY THAT THEY TREAT THEM, THE WAY THAT THAT, THAT THE DORMITORIES ARE SET UP IS CONSIDERABLY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN BATON ROUGE.
SO IT HELPS WITH A PERSON'S MINDSET WHEN HE'S NOT HOUSED AROUND BARS OR SHE'S NOT HOUSED AROUND BARS ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
THE SECOND THING THAT, SO AS IT RELATES TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOUSING, UH, OUR LOVED ONES OR OUR FOLKS FROM THE COM COMMUNITY, UH, WE, WE CAN'T, WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE WARDEN IS GOING TO HIRE, BUT THAT'S HER RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP THEM IN CHECK.
AND IF SHE DOESN'T KEEP THEM IN CHECK, THEN THAT'S WHEN THE BODY OF THE METRO COUNCIL AND THE PEOPLE OF BATON ROUGE STEP IN.
HOWEVER, SHE DON'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA NOT TREAT THEM RIGHT WHEN SHE HIRES THAT PERSON, OR WHEN THE SHERIFF HIRES THAT PERSON.
BUT WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES OUT, AND MORE AND MORE OVER THE YEARS, WE NOW SEE WHERE WHEN THESE ISSUES COME TO LIGHT, THEY ARE DEALT WITH, UH, MORE APPROPRIATELY THAN THEY'VE EVER BEEN DEALT WITH IN BATON ROUGE IN, IN MY 46 YEARS.
UM, WE NEED A, WE NEED A NEW PARISH PRISON.
SOME FOLKS HAVE, HAVE MENTIONED TO ME, UH, THE CONCERN HAS BEEN HOW MANY BEDS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE.
WELL, WELL, AT THIS POINT, IF WE, THE WARDEN SAYS WE SHIPPING OUT OVER 500 PEOPLE TO OTHER PARISHES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THAT'S MONEY THAT'S LEAVING OUR PARISH TO PAY FOR THEM TO BE HOUSED IN NORTH LOUISIANA, WHERE I ASSURE YOU, UH, IT'S NOT SAFE IN THOSE PARISHES EITHER.
IN A LOT OF CASES IT'S A WHOLE LOT WORSE THAN BEING IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON.
BUT WE NEED A, UH, A NEW JAIL.
WE NEED A JAIL THAT'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO TREAT PEOPLE.
THE MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ISSUE.
IF A PERSON COMES INTO JAIL, HE'S IN JAIL FOR A YEAR.
HE, HE OR SHE SHOULD HAVE IN, IN THIS NEW PRISON.
AND EVEN NOW THEY HAVE PROGRAMS AT EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON NOW.
BUT HE OR SHE SHOULD GET SOME PROGRAMMING.
SO WHEN HE OR SHE GOES BEFORE JUDGE JOHNSON OR JUDGE ROSE OR, OR, OR WHO, WHATEVER JUDGE THEY GO BEFORE THEY CAN SAY, WELL, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS, I'VE BEEN DOING THAT.
IF I HAD THE INTERVENTION THAT THESE NEW JAILS INSIDE OF LOUISIANA OFFER, UH, I, I DON'T THINK THAT I WOULD'VE SPENT SO, SO LONG IN PRISON ON MY SECOND GO ROUND.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THE RIGHT PROGRAMMING, THE RIGHT PEOPLE, UH, AND THE RIGHT SUPPORT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UH, SHEREE THOMAS, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENT.
I AGREE WITH EVERYONE THAT HAS SPOKE TODAY, INCLUDING EVERYONE THAT WAS IN THE PUBLIC.
I WILL SAY THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO TOUR NOT ONLY THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON, BUT ALSO TO THE DETENTION CENTER.
UH, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE, UH, THIBODAUX CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AS WELL AS, UH, THE DETENTION CENTER IN LAKE CHARLES.
THE DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE, UH, WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY WAS THE CULTURE.
AND SO IT WAS THE CULTURE OF THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION, THE ENTIRE STAFF.
THEY HAD A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF.
WE HAD THE WARDENS THERE ALSO TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, PARISH PRESIDENT, AND EVERYONE THIS MIGHT DOESN'T EVERY AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
AND EVERYONE THAT WAS THERE AT THE NEWER FACILITIES HAD THE SAME GOAL, THEIR SAME GOAL TO TREAT INDIVIDUALS AS HUMAN.
THE SAME GOAL, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE WORKFLOWS AND STANDARDS AND POLICIES AND PROCEDURE.
ONE THING I WILL SAY THAT STOOD OUT TO ME IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN, UH, A VERY, UH, TOUCHY TOPIC, UH, WAS IN REGARDS TO THE NUMBER OF DEATHS AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN THE NEWER FACILITIES.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIBLY SEE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE IN WHAT THEY CALL LOCKDOWN.
AND I CAN SAY, AT NO POINT WOULD I EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD EVER SAY WE NEED A NEW FACILITY.
BUT AFTER SEEING INDIVIDUALS LIVE, AFTER SEEING INDIVIDUALS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO US AND TALK TO US, WHEN THEY CAME IN, THEY WERE TREATED LIKE HUMANS AND THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO TREAT THEM LIKE HUMANS IN THE NEWER FACILITY.
SO I WANT TO SAY THAT IN THIS DISCUSSION, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, DON'T JUST
[00:55:01]
TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAMS, WHAT'S NEEDED.DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, BUT TALK ABOUT THE CHANGE IN CULTURE THAT IS GOING TO BE NECESSARY WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY WHEN TAKING THIS PROJECT ON JUDGE GROVER.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
UM, AGAIN, I'M JUDGE GROVER AND I WORK WITH THE JUVENILES AND JUVENILE COURT AND HAVE MOST OF MY CONTACT WITH THE JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY.
I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF POINTS TO MAKE.
UM, BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS ROOM, ALL CAN AGREE THAT WE NEED NEW FACILITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INCARCERATED.
OUR CITY IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THE WEAKEST CITIZEN OR THE MOST VULNERABLE CITIZEN.
AND BECAUSE TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION IS ABOUT INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS, THEN OUR INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS ARE CITIZENS TOO.
AND IF WE DON'T TEND TO THEIR NEEDS, THEN WE CAN'T BE ANY STRONGER THAN WHAT THEY ARE WHEN THEY WENT IN AND WHEN THEY COME OUT.
NOW, HUMANITY IS NOT BASED ON WHERE YOU LIVE.
HUMANITY IS BASED ON BEING A PERSON AND IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN HUMANE CONDITIONS.
BETTER STRUCTURES ENSURES BETTER TREATMENT BECAUSE IT'S BETTER SAFETY AND IT DOES IMPACT, UM, MORALE AND THE CULTURE.
OUR RECRUITMENT, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE CALLED TO DO THE WORK OF WORKING WITH INCARCERATED CITIZENS, BUT THEY ARE NOT CALLED TO WORK IN INHUMANE CONDITIONS, IN CONDEMNED CONDITIONS.
IT IS UNREASONABLE FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK IN THESE PLACES TO GO AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO GO DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR, AND PROVIDE CARE TO THOSE THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHEN THEY ARE NOT CARED FOR IN A HUMANE WAY, BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE AND THEIR SAFETY IS AT JEOPARDY AS WELL.
THE QUESTION WE KEEP HEARING HERE IS THAT, IS IT GOOD? DO WE NEED THIS? IT REALLY IS A MATTER OF WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT IS RIGHT.
I'M HERE TO SAY WHAT IS RIGHT IS THAT WE DEVELOP A BETTER FACILITY BOTH FOR OUR PARISH PRISON AND FOR OUR JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY.
OUR KIDS NEED BETTER PLACES SO THAT THEY CAN BE EDUCATED.
WE ARE FORCING PROGRAMS TO FIT.
WE ARE FORCING PROGRAMS TO FIT.
WHEN I WAS DIRECTOR OF, OF THAT FACILITY, I TURNED A CLOSET INTO A CO INTO A CLASSROOM.
NOW, DR. WADE IS DOING MUCH BETTER THAN THAT IN BRINGING TECHNOLOGY, BUT IT IS STILL A FORCE.
KIDS ARE MISSING 8, 9, 10 MONTHS BECAUSE THEY'RE STAYING LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD STAY BECAUSE OF PROCESSES.
AND SO RETURNING TO SCHOOL WHEN THEY EXIT IS MUCH MORE PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DISCONNECTED.
SO WE NEED TO KEEP THEM CONNECTED WHILE THEY'RE INSIDE.
IF EAST BATON ROUGE CAN'T BE A LEADER IN THIS AREA, THEN LET'S BE GOOD FOLLOWERS BECAUSE WE HAVE SAMPLES AROUND THIS STATE AND IN THIS COUNTRY ON HOW TO DO IT BETTER.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHETHER WE ARE GOOD PEOPLE AND WE WILL DO WHAT IS BETTER.
IT'S A MATTER OF WHETHER WE WILL DO WHAT IS RIGHT OR WHAT IS WRONG.
WE ARE EXPECTING THOSE WHO ARE INCARCERATED TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
THEN WE NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND DO IT OURSELVES.
I I WANNA PAUSE AND ALLOW ONE OF OUR OTHER MEMBERS WHO HAD TO BE AT THE STATE CAPITOL TO FIGHT FOR OTHER THINGS.
MR. CHICO ANSWERED TO STEP AROUND AND JOIN US UP HERE, RIGHT NEXT TO MS. LESLIE.
UM, SO ANY MORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE A COMMENT ON THIS? UH, WHAT I WILL SAY IS I, I TOOK DOWN A COUPLE OF NOTES.
FIRST OF ALL, PERSONNEL, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, VERY IMPORTANT.
EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT WITH ALL THE FACILITIES, I MEAN FROM THE WARDENS CHANGING THE CULTURE BEFORE WE PUT A NEW FACILITY IN PLACE, WE'VE HAD THAT SAME DISCUSSION.
WE KNOW A CULTURE SHIFT HAS TO HAPPEN.
AND ONE THING THAT I WILL SAY IS, OR FONDO HAS ALREADY STARTED TO DO THAT, RIGHT? SO LET ME, LET ME EMPHATICALLY SAY THAT.
UM, I WAS AT AN EVENT THIS WEEKEND AT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND HER STAFF CAME UP TO ME, WHICH I'VE ALREADY TOLD HER AND THE SHERIFF, AND SAID,
[01:00:01]
EMPLOYEE MORALE IS UP.NOW IT'S NOT A SHOT OF WARDEN GRIMES, BUT SOMETIMES YOU'VE BEEN SOMEWHERE FOR SUCH A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU DON'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES.
AND SHE'S ALREADY HAD A CULTURE SHIFT IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
SO I WILL SAY THAT WE'RE HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
NUMBER TWO, EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND DEESCALATION OR THE PRIMARY THINGS THAT WE SAW IN EVERY FACILITY THAT WE WENT TO THAT WAS BROUGHT UP AS WELL.
SO USING NATURAL LIGHT, IT'S A SCIENCE BEHIND THIS OF HOW TO DEESCALATE MINDSETS WHEN THEY COME IN SO THAT THEY DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF AN INCARCERATION MINDSET.
BUT MORE SO OF THIS IS A SHORT STAY WHILE I GET EDUCATED TO GO BACK AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE IN SOCIETY, WHICH WAS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.
'CAUSE IT WAS ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT IT, IT WAS ANOTHER THING TO PHYSICALLY SEE IT HAPPENING.
UH, MENTAL HEALTH, MEDICAL HOMELESSNESS, UH, MEDICINE, ALL OF THAT WAS A PART OF EVERYTHING WE WENT ON THESE TOURS, RIGHT? HOW TO IMPROVE IT, HOW TO CHANGE THAT CULTURE AS WELL.
AND THEY SAID, IF YOU DON'T PUT MENTAL HEALTH AND MEDICAL IN THERE, YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME.
WE'RE NOT DISAGREEING WITH ANYTHING YOU'RE SAYING IN THE CROWD.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE DO AGREE, WHICH IS WHY THE TASK FORCES HERE TO PUT FORTH THE EFFORTS TO CLOSE THE GAPS WITH SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE CHALLENGES.
YOU TALK ABOUT TAKING PEOPLE FURTHER AWAY, WE HAVE NOT DETERMINED WHERE A SITE IS.
SO I THINK SOME OF THOSE ARE PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS THAT WE'VE MADE A DECISION ON WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW IT'S GONNA IMPACT OUR PARISH.
UM, IT'S NOT AN EITHER R IT'S A MUST FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, ONE THING THAT TIM SAID I WANT TO ECHO IS EVERYTHING THAT WE SAW WAS OPEN FLOOR PLAN.
I MEAN, IT WAS LIKE THE NEW HOMES, RIGHT? LIKE HONESTLY, YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE IN A HOTEL WHEN YOU WENT TO, UH, THE JUVENILE DETENTION, WHICH WE'LL SEE.
IT LOOKED LIKE EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL.
PROBABLY LOOK BETTER THAN EPISCOPAL HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND I WANNA TELL Y'ALL, WHILE I HAVEN'T BEEN PERSONALLY INCARCERATED OR, UH, IN, IN THE JAIL, I VISITED MY DAD THERE AND I VISITED ONE OF MY SISTERS THERE.
AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A DIRECT, UH, IMPACT BASED ON HOW THEY'RE STAYING THERE AFFECTED ME, I WOULDN'T WANT THEM OR MY CHILD COULD BE A DWI FOR ONE OF OUR KIDS IN COLLEGE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT THAT ENDS UP IN, IN A STAY THERE THAT COULD HAVE A TRAUMATIC LIFE CHANGING LIFE, LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE.
SO I HAVE A SEVENTH YEAR I THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS AS WELL, RIGHT? HAVE IT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER? MY DADDY CAN'T, ANYBODY? AND THEN, UH, MY FINAL THING IS I WANT TO THANK GEORGE GA GROVER BECAUSE THIS IS BECAUSE OF HER.
HONESTLY, ALL THIS IS BECAUSE OF, SHE BROUGHT A PRESENTATION IN ABOUT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THEN WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE.
AND WHEN SHE BROUGHT THE PRESENTATION IN, IT FLOORED THE, UH, COUNCIL AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE AS A PRISON OR A JAIL, WHETHER IT BE FOR THE DETENTION CENTER WITH DR. WADE, OR WHETHER IT BE FOR THE JAIL WITH WARDEN, UM, OR FUN NOTE, YOU CANNOT CHANGE FROM A PROGRAMMING STANDPOINT IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPACE.
NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN'T MEET THE NATIONAL REQUIREMENTS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPACE.
YOU CAN'T CHANGE THE MINDSET IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SPACE.
SO I AM FOR A BIGGER AND BATTER JAIL BECAUSE I WANT PROGRAMMING SPACE SO THAT WHEN THEY COME OUT OF THERE, THEY'RE BETTER THAN WHEN THEY WENT IN.
ALRIGHT? THE, THE, THE NEXT, UH, PART OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS DO A SMALLER CLIPSE GONNA MAKE, OH YEAH, YOU GOT THE FLOOR.
AND I WANNA SAY TOO, I I, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TODAY AND APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND WORDS.
UH, BUT I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT.
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE IN OH SEVEN, HAVING WORKED IN THE PRISON AND SEEN THE SYSTEM, IF YOU EXPECT TO PUT SOMEBODY IN, IN, IN PRISON AND THEY GET SENTENCED, WHATEVER, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THAT CAN, UH, AND, AND THIS GENTLEMAN HERE HAS SAID IT PERFECT.
HE'S BEEN THROUGH IT AND I APPRECIATE WHAT EVERYTHING YOU SAID, BUT IF WE THINK WE'RE GONNA PUT SOMEBODY IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AND THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT ON THE OTHER END, A BETTER PERSON,
SO WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, MY FOCUS WAS WITH THE PRISON IS I DON'T CARE.
AND, AND THE WARDEN KNOWS THIS, I DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE SOMEBODY ONE DAY, ONE WEEK, ONE MONTH, ONE YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO EXPOSE THAT INDIVIDUAL TO AS MUCH REHABILITATION AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WE CAN'T MAKE ANYBODY DO IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA EXPOSE 'EM TO IT.
AND HOPEFULLY THEY, THE ONES THAT DON'T SEE THE RESULT THAT THE OTHER ONES THAT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT DOES.
WE HAD TWO SELF-HELP PROGRAMS IN 2000 WHEN, UH, 2007 WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, WE GOT 22.
NOW IT'S ALL, IT'S, IT'S A GAMBIT OF THINGS.
ANGER MANAGEMENT, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, PARENTING SKILLS, JOB SKILLS, EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE THAT WE'VE, UH, I KNOW MANY OF Y'ALL KNOW CHEF CELESTE, SHE'S TEACHING A CHEF SCHOOL OUT THERE.
[01:05:01]
GOT A WELDING PROGRAM TOO AS WELL.AND THIS LADY HERE HAS A MULTITUDE OF IDEAS, AND I AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM, AND I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP HER TO IMPLEMENT THESE THINGS.
BUT WHEN YOU INCARCERATE SOMEBODY AND YOU, YOU DON'T GIVE THEM AND EXPOSE 'EM TO THIS, THEY'RE NEVER GONNA CHANGE.
THEY'RE GONNA COME OUT WORSE THAN THEY WENT IN.
UM, ANOTHER THING WE STARTED, WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, I LOOKED AT THE, THE LACK OF EDUCATION, AND I THINK JUDGE SAID IT, UH, 12TH GRADE.
WE, WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAD ONLY A 12TH GRADE.
THE AVERAGE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AT PARISH PRISON IS THE SEVENTH GRADE.
WE STARTED A, UH, GED WING FOR THOSE INMATES THAT WANTED TO PURSUE, UH, EDUCATION.
AND WE WANTED TO PUT 'EM IN AN AREA WHICH IS MORE CONDUCIVE FOR THEM TO LEARN AND RECEIVE EDUCATION.
WE GRADUATED HUNDREDS IN THAT PROGRAM.
WE STARTED A FAITH-BASED WING AND SAID, YOU CAN'T DO IT.
BUT GUESS WHAT, IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.
IT'S EVERY DENOMINATION, IT'S EVERY FAITH.
THEY GET PEOPLE COMING IN ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS EVERY DAY TO SPEAK WITH THEM AND, AND, AND ENCOURAGE 'EM IN, IN, IN, IN A BETTER WAY OF LIFE.
UH, BUT WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE A-A-A-A-A NO, UH, CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY UNIT.
BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU MOST PEOPLE OUT THERE IN PARISH PRISON, THEY GOT AN ADDICTION TO DRUG OR ALCOHOL OR BOTH.
SO WE GOTTA HELP 'EM IN THAT WAY.
GIVING THEM SOME SKILLS ONCE THEY'RE RELEASED AND THAT'S WE PART OF THE REENTRY PROGRAM.
IF YOU PUT SOMEBODY BACK IN THE SAME ENVIRONMENT FROM WHICH THEY CAME, THEY GOT ONE STRIKE AGAINST THEM ALREADY.
SO YOU GOT TO PROVIDE ALL OF THESE THINGS.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TRYING TO DO.
BUT SOMEBODY MENTIONED MENTAL HEALTH.
WHEN I TOOK OFFICE, THERE WAS PROBABLY 25, MAYBE 25% OF OUR POPULATION, IF THAT MUCH THAT WAS OR COULD HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL DISORDER.
WHEN THE STATE SHUT DOWN ALL OF OUR MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES, GUESS WHAT IT DID? IT PUT THOSE PEOPLE ON THE STREET.
SO GUESS WHERE THEY WIND UP IN JAIL? IT'S NOT WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
THEY NEED TO BE IN, IN, IN SOME OTHER FACILITY, BUT THERE'S NO ALTERNATIVES.
AND, BUT RIGHT NOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT AND KEEP, IF, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE PROBABLY GOT 90 TO 95% OF OUR POPULATION THAT HAS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND WE HAVE NOT, NOTHING TO HELP THEM WITH.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO HELP THEM WITH.
THERE'S NO MENTAL HEALTH, UH, FAC UH, PART OF THAT, UH, FACILITY AT ALL.
BELIEVE ME WHEN I TELL YOU THIS, I'M NOT TRYING TO BUILD A BIGGER PRISON TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE I CAN PUT IN JAIL.
MY PR I PRAY THAT WE HAVE ONE DAY, WE HAVE A, A A A COMMUNITY THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANYBODY IN JAIL BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DOING RIGHT AND DOING RIGHT BY THAT FELLOW MAN.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE REAL WORLD WE LIVE IN.
AND AND UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, AND IT MAY NOT HAPPEN UNTIL THE LORD COMES BACK, BUT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS, WE GOT TO HAVE THESE FACILITIES.
BUT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE PROGRAM SPACE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN I TALK ABOUT A BIGGER FACILITY, I TALK ABOUT A PROGRAM SPACE BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE PROGRAM SPACE THAT WE NEED NOW TO DO WHAT WE DOING NOW.
AND WE COULD DO MORE WITH THAT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU ANY WAY YOU WANT TO CUT IT, THAT'S AN INHUMANE PLACE IF TO HOUSE PEOPLE.
AND IT'S AN INHUMANE PLACE FOR MY PEOPLE HAVE TO WORK IN.
AND JUDGE, YOU HIT THE BALL, THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
THERE'S, WE WE'RE NEVER GONNA GET ANY WAY STAYING DIVIDED ON THINGS AND, AND TALKING ABOUT PAST.
WE GOTTA TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WE GOT TO COME TOGETHER TO CHANGE IT NOW, JUDGE, JUST YOU SAID IT WELL.
SO YEAH, A COUPLE, COUPLE QUESTIONS.
UM, WE, WE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AND I, AND I'LL SAY IT HERE, AND I, I BECAME A PART OF THIS TASK FORCE BECAUSE I WENT AND TOURED THE FACILITIES AND EVERYTHING AND, AND THE FACILITIES HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND UPDATED.
BUT THEN WE GET OFF ON THIS THING ABOUT WHAT SERVICES WE'RE OFFERING AND SO ON.
WHAT SERVICES? I I I, THIS, THIS WOULD BE A QUESTION FOR THE WARDEN.
WHAT SERVICES ARE WE NOT OFFERING? I WILL OFFER WHATEVER SERVICES CAN COME.
UH, WE ARE VERY MUCH A PART OF THE, UM, COMMUNITY.
I WAS AT ANGOLA WITH CHICO AND CHICO AND I WORK
[01:10:01]
TOGETHER AND CHICO'S OUT NOW.AND A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE OUT AND WE'RE ABLE TO CHANGE LAWS BECAUSE WE LET THEM COME IN.
HE TELLS A MUCH BETTER STORY ABOUT CORRECTING THAN I DO.
I'M, I, I, I SAY THE SAME STUFF AS ADVOCATES.
WE'RE THE ONLY PART OF THIS WHOLE SYSTEM THAT'S ABOUT CHANGE IS CORRECTIONS, FIRST OF ALL.
BUT, BUT I, I THINK THE DETOX WE NEED, I THINK THE DETOX PROGRAM WE NEED.
AND TO DO THAT, WE NEED AN AREA THAT IS VISIBLE THAT WE CAN WATCH THEM.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU DETOX, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM.
YOU CAN'T PUT THEM UNDER A CAMERA, YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM.
I THOUGHT SOMEONE AT CITY PARISH, SO, BUT NOT FINANCE.
THIS IS THE ONE ABOUT WE HAVE, UH, WE, WE, THE PUBLIC PAST ATTACKS, THE, THE, THE UNIT OFF OF NORTH FLORIDA, I MEAN NORTH BOULEVARD.
SO DOES THAT, DOES THAT DO ANYTHING, HAS THAT DONE ANYTHING? I WAS HERE WHEN THE, WHEN THE BRIDGE CENTER WAS OPENED, UM, AS, AS THE MAJOR, AS THE ASSISTANT WARDEN AT THE PARISH PRISON.
UM, BUT THE LAW, LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO ARREST PEOPLE OF WHICH 30 DIFFERENT AGENCIES BRING PEOPLE TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PRISON, UM, THEY MAKE THE DECISION WHETHER TO BRING THEM TO THE BRIDGE CENTER OR TO JAIL.
IF THEY BRING THEM TO JAIL AND THEY'RE BOOKED INTO JAIL, THEY ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO GO TO THE BRIDGE CENTER.
THEY HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM OUR CUSTODY TO GET THERE.
SO WHAT I MET WITH THEM INITIALLY AS WELL AS THE WARDEN DID, AND WE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THEM, AND WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WHERE WE WOULD CALL AND GET A JUDGE ON OUR SIDE TO SAY, HEY, LOOK, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD, WE COULD CHANGE THESE THINGS WITH THE DA'S HELP AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE ARREST ABOUT 60 TO 70 PEOPLE A DAY IN BATON ROUGE.
SO WOULD IT BE BEHOOVE US TO, I MEAN WE, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO TAX BASES HERE.
WOULD IT BEHOOVE US TO COMBINE THESE THINGS AND HAVE THE FACILITIES TO WHERE THEY COULD BE UTILIZED TO WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE THIS LOOPHOLE OR PROBLEM OF ONCE THEY'RE PUT INTO PARISH PRISON, IT'S HARD TO BRING THEM OUT TO THE FACILITY? SADLY, IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR WHAT THE NEW IS.
I, AGAIN, I GET, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT WITH THE BUILDING OF THE NEW FACILITY AND COMBINING THESE TAX THINGS THAT TO WHERE THOSE SERVICES THAT EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT, WE NEED TO OFFER FOR, FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND DISORDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT ARE KEEPING THESE PEOPLE IN THERE.
UH, THE SHERIFF JUST SAID A SECOND AGO THAT THE, THE VERY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS MENTAL, UH, PROBLEMS THAT THEY WERE GOING INTO THE PARISH PRISON WOULD, AND AGAIN, I'M GOING BACK TO THE FUNDING OF AND, AND THE, AND THE, THE BEST RESOURCES FOR THE TAX DOLLARS.
AND IF WE'RE NOT USING THE TAX RESOURCES THAT THE BRIDGE CENTER IS GETTING, AND THEY'RE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB.
THIS IS NOTHING AGAINST THE BRIDGE CENTER.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE THAT WELL KNOWN.
IF THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF IN THIS NEW FACILITY THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY BUILD TO COMBINE ALL THOSE SERVICES TO GET THEM THE HELP THAT THEY NEED TO GET 'EM OUT QUICKER.
I I, I DON'T THINK THAT I'M THE RIGHT PERSON TO ANSWER THAT.
HOWEVER, I THINK THAT YOU NEED BOTH BECAUSE THE DECISION TO ARREST IS, I, I CAN'T SECOND, I CAN'T LOOK OVER MY, I CAN'T SECOND GUESS THAT DECISION.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO COME TO JAIL.
THAT'S WHY THE BRIDGE CENTER WAS BUILT FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T NEED TO COME TO JAIL.
BUT THAT DECISION IS MADE BY THE ARRESTING OFFICER.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF A DETOX CENTER.
WHAT I'VE DONE IS I'VE TURNED MY BOOKING AREA INTO THIS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE DIRECT SUPERVISION BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE ARE IN THERE.
BUT WHEN I DO THAT, BECAUSE OF THE SPACE THAT I HAVE, I'M MAKING A DECISION TO SEND MAYBE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE MEDICAL NEEDS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT INTO AN AREA WHERE I HAVE LESSER SUPERVISION.
SO IT'S, IT'S JUST JUGGLING THE PLACES.
BUT I, I, I THINK THE BRIDGE CENTER IS NEEDED.
AND I THINK LOTS OF BRIDGE CENTERS ARE NEEDED GEOGRAPHICALLY APPROPRIATE FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WALKING AWAY FROM THESE CENTERS.
I DO THINK WE NEED TO EXPAND DETOX SERVICES AT THE JAIL.
AND I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW.
AND, AND LOOK, I I APPRECIATE THAT PART OF IT.
NOW I WANT TO KIND OF REAL QUICK JUMP TO THE OTHER OTHER PART OF SERVICES TO LIFE SKILLS AND, AND EDUCATION THAT THEY HAVE.
ALL THOSE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED NOW.
IF, IF THEY'RE IN THERE, IF, IF ESPECIALLY THE JUVENILE FACILITIES, THEY HAVE CLASSES, IS THERE, UM, EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AS FAR AS THE PRISON GOES? IS THERE, UH, SKILLS, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE THOSE SERVICES THERE? WE HAVE THEM.
[01:15:01]
A CLOSET AND YOU MAKE IT A CLASSROOM, THAT'S WHAT IT IS.I MEAN, IT'S SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WE CAN CREATE THESE PLACES YES.
BUT WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS WE'RE PROVIDING, WE HAVE THE RESOURCES, WE ARE DOING THE SERVICES.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, AND PLEASE, ANYBODY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THAT'S WHY I, I ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE NOT PROVIDING? I APPRECIATE THE DETOX PART AND STUFF LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAD THE BRIDGE CENTER.
AND AGAIN, THAT GOES BACK TO THOSE IDEAS.
BUT A LOT OF THE OTHER SERVICES WE'RE PROVIDING, WE JUST NEED TO FOCUS ON THE FACILITIES TO BETTER PROVIDE THESE SERVICES.
SHIRLEY THOMAS, REMEMBER EVERYBODY GETS TWO TIMES TO SPEAK ONE LIKE THE COUNCILMAN, YOU GOT FIVE MINUTES.
I DO WANNA ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN MOGUE SAID IN REGARDS TO THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FROM THE BRIDGE CENTER.
I DO THINK, UM, WITH WHARTON AU UH, TRYING TO WORK COMPREHENSIVELY WITH THE BRIDGE CENTER TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE ARRIVED THERE, THE ACTUAL TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED.
UM, I DO FEEL AS IF THERE'S SOMETIMES THAT HER LENGTH OF STAY THAT SHE HAS TO ALLOW THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO DETOX WHILE THEY ARE ON PRETRIAL WILL BE LONGER THAN THE ACTUAL STAY THAT THEY WILL HAVE IF THEY GO TO THE BRIDGE CENTER.
SO I DO THINK WE HAVE SOME, UM, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT IN REGARDS TO THE LENGTH OF STAY AND THE DAYS AND THE SERVICES THAT'S ACTUALLY BEING PROVIDED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO GET THE TREATMENT THEY NEED.
I AM NOT A NURSE, HOWEVER, I HAVE WORKED IN HEALTHCARE BEFORE AND THREE DAYS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO GET SOMEONE THE TREATMENT THEY NEED, EVEN WITH A MEDICATION CHANGE OR BEING ABLE TO FULLY DETOX.
SO YOU WILL SEE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND YOU WILL SEE SOMEONE THAT MAY HAVE GONE FROM THE BRIDGE CENTER END UP IN JAIL BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICES THAT CAN BE HELPFUL FOR REHABILITATION.
SO THE OTHER THING IN REGARDS TO THE BRIDGE CENTER IS WHAT ARE WE DOING IN REGARDS TO THE MOBILE UNIT? AND I KNOW THIS ISN'T THE MEETING FOR THAT.
THIS MAY BE ANOTHER, I WANTED TO ASK YOU TO GET TO THE POINT OF THE JAIL, NOT THE MOBILE UNIT.
WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE JAIL, NOT THE PRISON.
THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT HE ASKED ABOUT.
I I, I KNOW HE JUST TALKED ABOUT COMBINING FACILITIES, WHICH WAS A RELEVANT POINT, BUT WE'RE GONNA STAY GERMANE TO THE TOPIC, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT SERVICES IN THE PRISON.
AND THAT THAT ONE'S ABOUT JOINING BOTH UNITS TOGETHER.
SO THE MOBILE UNIT IS NOT, SO FOR WARDEN FOOTNOTE, I DO THINK THERE IS STILL SOME WORK TO DO ON THAT IN REGARDS TO THE DETOX AREA.
SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION REAL QUICK? SURE.
IF, IF ON YOUR TIME OR YOUR PROBLEM, YOU WERE GOING, YOU WERE GOING THAT DIRECTION, YOU TALK ABOUT FACILITIES AND THEY NEED TO, THEY NEED LONGER TIME THAN WHAT THEY HAVE OR SO ON.
IF THE FACILITIES WERE COMBINED AND YOU HAD THE RESOURCES AT THERE AT THE PRISON, WHICH HAS A LONGER JAIL PRI I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO CALL IT RIGHT NOW.
UM, BUT IF, IF YOU HAD THOSE FACILITIES AVAILABLE THAT WOULD DO THE LONGER DETOX OR WHATEVER, WOULD THAT HELP THE BRIDGE CENTER OUT? WHETHER IT'S A SATELLITE UNIT OVER THERE OR WHATEVER, IT'S ALREADY COVERED BY THE TAX DOLLARS INSTEAD OF ADDING, I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE CRIMINALIZED FOR NEEDING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
SO I DO THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE STILL PROBABLY NEED TO WORK OUT.
OH, NO, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CHECKING EM IN.
I'M TALKING ABOUT IF FACILITIES WERE BUILT, ASSISTED, WHETHER IT WAS AN OUTSIDE UNIT RIGHT BY IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD, UH, USE SOME OF THEIR RESOURCES TO HELP MONITOR THOSE PEOPLE.
IT, IT IS AN IDEA THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULD LOOK AT.
BUT I DON'T WANT, UH, COUNCILMAN HURST TO TAKE ANY MORE OF MY MINUTES.
'CAUSE I DO HAVE ANOTHER VALID POINT THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY.
SO HE, UM, HE HAS ME ON THE TIMER.
UH, ONE OTHER THING THAT I DID WANT TO, THAT I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IN REGARDS TO THE FACILITY THAT WE VIEWED FOR THE YOUTH, UH, REHABILITATION CENTER, WAS THERE WAS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT THEY HAD FOR YOUTH THAT ARRIVED AT THE ACTUAL FACILITY PRIOR TO BOOKING CASE MANAGEMENT STARTED.
AND SO I DO WANT TO, UH, HAVE US TO LOOK AT THOSE TYPES OF WORKFLOWS BECAUSE CASE MANAGEMENT STARTED WITH THE ACTUAL, UH, INDIVIDUAL PRIOR TO EVEN TAKING THEM IN.
IF THE YOUTH, IF THEY FELT LIKE THE YOUTH WERE BETTER OFF AT HOME UNDER SUPERVISION, THEN THEY ALLOW THOSE YOUTH TO GO BACK HOME TO THEIR PARENTS AND BE ABLE TO GET REHABILITATION AND SUPERVISION AT HOME RATHER THAN IMMEDIATELY PUTTING THEM INTO THE FACILITY.
SO I DO THINK THAT, UH, IN REGARDS TO SERVICES, UM, AND WORKFLOWS, THAT IS SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
UH, ANY MORE COMMENTS FROM THE PANEL? UH, WE'LL GO TO, UH, TOPIC TWO, WHICH IS TO SHOW YOU VIDEOS FROM THE FACILITIES THAT WE HAD THE TOUR THAT SHOWED US THE POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT EAST PATTERNS PARISH COULD LOOK LIKE.
[01:20:05]
I, I DID NOT SEE IT.MY, AND WE'LL GO TO THE, UH, LA PARIS VIDEO.
FIRST THING WE'LL DO IS OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, WELL NOW ONE THING WE DIDN'T SEE ON THE VIDEO IS WHERE THE POPULATIONS WERE.
YOU CANNOT VIEW THE, UH, YOU CANNOT RECORD THE INMATES.
UM, I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPRESSIVE AREA TO SEE HOW THEY WERE HOUSED.
UM, AND REALLY ROLLING FREE, UM, WITH, WITH LIMITED SUPERVISION.
AND I BELIEVE IT WAS CALLED THE DIRECT SUPERVISION MODEL.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THE, UH, THE, UH, CORRECTIONS OFFICER WAS ACTUALLY IN THE DORMITORY THE ENTIRE TIME AND NOT ON THE EXTERIOR LOOKING AT THEM LIKE THEY WERE LESS THAN HUMAN.
AND THAT ALSO GOES WITH THE STYLE OF PRISON THAT WAS BUILT.
AND WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT WHILE THIS LOOKS SO MUCH BETTER, UM, WE WERE TOLD BY LAFOURCHE PARISH THAT THEY WERE PROBABLY THE LAST MODEL OF THIS PRISON, UH, STYLE THAT WAS BUILT WITH THE CATWALK, THE SUPERVISION TOWERS IN THE LATE SEVENTIES.
UM, AND SO, AGAIN, JUST WANNA THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR YOU.
BUT WE WANNA OPEN UP A PUBLIC COMMENT
[01:25:01]
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FACILITY.WE NORMALLY DON'T DO QUESTIONS ON THE MIC, BUT FOR THIS PANEL WE WILL, BECAUSE YOU GUYS WEREN'T ABLE TO PHYSICALLY SEE THAT.
BUT WE, WE'LL OPEN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, I'M LOOKING AT THE FILM AND I, I AM, I'M IMPRESSED WITH WHICH MODEL WILL WE FOLLOW? UM, I'LL TELL YOU THAT WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT.
LOOK AT THE, I, I ASKED THE WARDEN DIRECTLY IF SHE WANTED DIRECT SUPERVISION, ALL, ALL OF THAT.
HER LEADERSHIP DETERMINES WHAT MODEL WE FOLLOW, WHICH, WHICH MODEL WE FOLLOW.
AND SHE'S OPEN FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE INMATES AND FOR THE PARISH, IF I'M SAYING THAT CORRECTLY.
SO WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON ANYTHING.
WE JUST SAW DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
SO UNDERSTANDABLY, I'M NOT PUSHING AGAINST THE BUILDING OF A NEW JAIL.
I UNDERSTAND THAT'S INEVITABLE.
AND, UM, AND I'LL SAY THAT I'VE HEARD SOME AMAZING THINGS SINCE YOU'VE TAKEN OVER.
THERE, THERE REALLY ARE SOME AMAZING PEOPLE THAT ARE, ARE DEDICATED TO THIS FIELD.
AND THAT'S WHY I CAME BACK BECAUSE I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE.
BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO DO THIS TOGETHER.
AND I'M, I'M, I'M GETTING IT DIRECTLY FROM THE FOLKS THAT ARE INCARCERATED THERE.
SO, UM, ALL WE WANT IS SAFE PASSAGE.
THAT HASN'T BEEN IT, YOU KNOW, UM, PROMISE I WASN'T GONNA GET EMOTIONAL, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER INSIDE OF THAT, THE, UM, LION'S DEN, IT IS HARD.
AND, UM, SO I, I'M OVER A SUPPORT GROUP CALLED VOICES, UM, OF MANY, MAYBE A, A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF, UM, FAMILY MEMBERS WITH FOLKS THAT ARE INSIDE.
SO, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HOW THIS, THIS WORKS OUT.
YEAH, I, I'D LOVE TO HAVE Y'ALL OVER FOR A EVENT.
YOU COULD BRING A PANEL OF PEOPLE SO THEY COULD TALK TO THE INMATES.
WE HAVE, I ALSO HAPPEN TO WORK FOR A VERY, VERY GOOD ORGANIZATION OF FAMILY INCARCERATED PEOPLE VOTE VOICES OF EXPERIENCE.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE THERE THAT WILL TALK TO THEM.
AND ACTUALLY I HAD A SHORT, UM, STINT THERE MYSELF FIRSTHAND, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, IT WAS A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE.
SO CHARGES WERE DROPPED, BUT STILL, I'LL NEVER FORGET WHAT I ENDURED.
THERE WAS ANINA WATCH, YOU KNOW, AND I MEAN, YOU WEREN'T THERE, BUT YOU WERE OVER IT, BUT YOU WEREN'T THERE.
SO I, I LOOK FORWARD TO IT BECAUSE I STILL CAN'T FORGET THE HORRIFIC THINGS THAT I ENDURED AND WHAT I SAW.
AGAIN, I'M GLAD WE HAD A SECOND CHANCE TO SPEAK 'CAUSE I THINK I, UM, GOT MORE INFORMATION ON WHAT I'M SPEAKING ABOUT AFTER YOU GUYS SPOKE.
SO I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHY THEY COULDN'T SPEAK FIRST AND THEN I COME UP
UM, SO I GLAD TO HEAR WAS, BUT YOU GUYS ARE PLANNING ON NOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH CURRENTLY INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS AND WHAT YOU GOT TO DO FOR THEM.
MY TAKE IS ALWAYS ABOUT PREVENTION.
I GO TO A LOT OF COUNCIL MEETINGS HERE IN ORLEANS PARISH.
I NEVER HEAR ANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT PREVENTION.
LIKE WHAT? AND, AND EVEN BEFORE I GOT IN THE DOOR, JUST PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WORD JUVENILE, BECAUSE NOW FROM 17 ON UP, YOU'RE AN ADULT.
SO JUVENILE, UM, FOR ME, IN MY MIND, 12 TO 16, RIGHT? SO I COME IN HERE AND I PRETTY MUCH HEAR THAT'S WHAT'S BEING SAID.
SO FROM THE AGES OF 12 TO 16 YEARS OLD, IF THESE KIDS, THE JUDGE SAY THEY HAVE NOT FINISHED SCHOOL, RIGHT? SO PREVENTION, WHAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE FOR 12 TO 16 YEAR OLDS TO HAVE THEM NEVER GO ACROSS THE DOOR SEAL OF A FACILITY.
I NEVER HEAR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT.
UH, YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE SERVICES INSIDE OF FACILITY.
I GOTTA DO SOMETHING TO GET THERE, TO GET THESE SERVICES.
WHY CAN'T, IF, IF I MAKE A DECISION OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN MY FAMILY AND I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL, 12, 13, 14, 50, WHAT ELSE IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE
[01:30:01]
FOR ME? I'M SO SCARED FOR MY GRANDDAUGHTERS.I AM SCARED TO DEATH BECAUSE JUVENILES JUST IS NOT THE BOYS.
SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AND THEY MAKE A DECISION OR SOMETHING BEYOND THEMSELVES HAPPENS THAT THEY CAN'T FINISH SCHOOL, WHAT ALTERNATIVE IS THERE FOR THEM? THAT THEY CAN HAVE A SKILL THAT THEY ACQUIRE OUTSIDE OF A FACILITY OUTSIDE.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME OUT.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME OUT OF A JAIL WITH THESE SKILLS.
SOME SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL BUILT THAT MY STATE DOLLARS THAT I PAY TAXES BILLED AND SAY THESE 12, 13, 14, 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENTS WHO COULDN'T FINISH THE REGULAR SCHOOL, THEY CAN GO GET WELD AND THEY CAN GO GET CONSTRUCTION, THEY CAN GET IES, THEY CAN GET COSMETOLOGY, THEY CAN GET AT HOME ECONOMICS.
THEY CAN GET ALL OF THIS STUFF AND BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
AND YOU, THE STATE DON'T HAVE TO, THEY CAN DO IT THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE SKILLS TO DO IT.
'CAUSE WE, WE QUICK TO PROVIDE IT INSIDE OF A PRISON.
ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENT? I SAID MARCH.
NOW, MY ONLY PUBLIC COMMENT IS THIS, I SAID IN MARCH OF 2010, WHEN I RETIRED AFTER 55 PLUS YEARS OF NURSING, I WASN'T GOING BACK TO WORK.
BUT I'M SORRY, MY STATE IS IN CRISIS.
I JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND LET'S GET IT DONE.
BECAUSE THOSE LITTLE CHILDREN THAT'S COMING UP, THEY GONNA NEED A LOT OF HELP TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET.
SO I'LL SAY, TO GET BACK TO WHERE IT WAS WHEN I WAS A KID, THAT'S IT.
WELL, WHEN I CAN DO WHATEVER, I'M, I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO COME OUT OF RETIRE, BUT HEY, LET'S GET THIS DONE.
LET'S GET A SAFE PLACE FROM OUR PEOPLE TO BE WHETHER THEY INCARCERATED, WHETHER THEY GET INCARCERATED OR NOT, WHETHER THEY'RE GUILTY OR INNOCENT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T LIVE IN THESE DEPORTABLE CONDITIONS.
Y'ALL DON'T KNOW HOW MA'AM, I'M SORRY TO THE MIC.
Y'ALL DUNNO HOW STAYING I WAS THROUGH COVID WHEN ALL THESE PEOPLE DIED WITH MY MEDICAL BACKGROUND KNOWING THAT MY CHILD WAS INCARCERATED AND NOT KNOWING HOW HE WAS GONNA PROTECT HIMSELF OR WHAT'S HE GONNA MAKE IT? BECAUSE HE AIN'T NEVER HAD NOTHING BEFORE IN HIS LIFE, BUT HE MADE IT THROUGH.
LET'S JUST GET WHATEVER WE NEED TO GET DONE SO WE CAN GET, SO THIS DAY CAN GET BACK ON HIS FEET.
UM, I KNOW IT'S GONNA COST MONEY, BUT IT'S GONNA COST EVEN MORE IF THEY STAY INCARCERATED.
THEY NEED TO BE IN A SAFE PLACE WHERE THEY CAN GET SOME EDUCATION.
ANYBODY ELSE IN THE PUBLIC SPEAKER? OKAY.
UH, EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE FACILITY SHOULD, SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
AND UM, YOU HAVE GREAT PEOPLE RUNNING IT, SO NOW YOU NEED A, A GREAT PLACE TO PUT THEM.
YOU NEED THE SPACE FOR THE PROGRAMS AND THE OFFENDER FEELS GOOD GOING INTO A CLEAN, PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY CAN THINK STRAIGHT AND AND, AND LEARN.
AND THE EMPLOYEES, IT LIFT THEIR MORALE KNOWING THEY'RE COMING TO A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND, AND NOT GOING INTO A DEPRESSING, YOU KNOW, SITUATION.
SO, UM, THAT THERE'S SOME GOOD EXAMPLES OF WHAT THE PRISON SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
IT SHOULD BE CLEAN AND IMMACULATE AS A A, A MEDICAL FACILITY.
ANY MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS? MINUTES.
SHEREE THOMAS COULDN'T WAIT TO GET THAT FAST.
UM, I, I DO WANNA SAY SOMETHING, UH, IN REGARDS TO SOMETHING THAT, UH, CHICO SAID TO ME, UM, AS HE WAS WATCHING THE VIDEO, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GO WITH US TO ONE OF THE FACILITIES.
HE SAID, OUR BUSINESS'S NOT THE FOOD THAT THE, UH, DETAINEES ARE EATING.
I SAID, YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED WE ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO EAT AT BOTH PLACES.
I HAVE TO SEE THE KITCHEN FIRST.
I SAW THE KITCHEN, I WAS QUITE SATISFIED AND I ATE AT BOTH FACILITIES.
I DIDN'T HAVE TO STEP OVER ANY ANIMALS.
THERE WAS NOTHING MOVING AT ANY OF THESE FACILITIES, BUT BIRDS THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE.
SO I DO WANNA, UM, MAKE THAT COMMENT IN REGARDS TO, UM, I KNOW THEY SAY WE ARE WHAT WE EAT.
UM, WE DID, WE WERE ABLE TO CONSUME THE FOOD AND ALSO THE EMPLOYEES WERE THERE.
IF YOU REMEMBER ON THE VIDEO, THERE WAS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN STANDING THERE, UM, IN HIS UNIFORM THAT WAS, WAS ONE OF THE WARDENS.
AND DID YOU SEE HOW BIG HIS SMILE WAS? SO
[01:35:01]
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE, IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE WORKERS BE BECAUSE THEY SPENT OVER HALF THEIR LIVES AT WORK.ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE ON THE PANEL? GO AHEAD, JUDGE.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE GOOD EXAMPLES OF WHERE WE CAN MOVE TO.
AND, UM, AND, AND THEY ARE SAMPLES AND, AND WE HAVE OTHERS TO, TO, UM, PICK FROM AS WELL.
SOMEONE ASKED, WHICH ONE ARE WE GONNA GO WITH? UM, I THINK THAT'S A DISCUSSION THAT WILL CONTINUE.
BUT I DO WANT US TO NOTE AS, AS IT RELATES TO THE JUVENILE OR THE YOUTH CENTER, THAT THE RECREATIONAL AREA IS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE.
OUR YOUTH ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE HOUR OF LARGE MUSCLE EXERCISE A DAY.
WHEN WE HAVE INCLEMENT WEATHER, THEY DON'T GET TO HAVE THAT IN AN AREA THAT, UM, IS MORE CONDUCIVE TO ACTUALLY LARGE MUSCLE EXERCISE.
THEY'RE ON ERECT FLOOR TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THAT OR IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
IF YOU ALSO LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES, THEY ARE NO BAR A LOW BARED FACILITIES THAT YOU CAN BUILD A FACILITY THAT IS SECURE THAT'S FULL OF LIGHT FOR OUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH.
AND THAT'S SCIENTIFIC WITHOUT HAVING BARS, WHICH IS ALSO DEPRESSIVE.
YOU CAN GO TO PROGRAM, GAIN THE INFORMATION YOU NEED, AND THEN RETURN BACK TO YOUR CONFINEMENT AREA AND LOSE 85% OF THE INSPIRATION YOU GAIN BECAUSE OF THE AREA YOU ARE RETURNING BACK TO.
SO WE ARE NOT GETTING THE BEST OUT OF THE SERVICES WE HAVE BECAUSE THE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO HOLDING, CONTAINING AND NURTURING WHAT YOU ARE RECEIVING.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THE SECURITY IN THOSE FACILITY MOVEMENT, SECURITY MOVEMENT AS WELL AS DIRECT AND INDIRECT SUPERVISION.
WHEN INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO MOVE FROM ONE AREA TO A FACILITY TO ANOTHER SECURITY MATTERS, THAT IS WHEN YOU ARE MOST AT RISK OF HAVING INJURIES OR HAVING ESCAPE ATTEMPTS OR HAVING SELF-HARM IN ADDITION TO THE CELL AREAS IF THERE'S NOT GOOD OBSERVATION.
SO I WANT US TO BE MINDFUL WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, THAT THE SECURITY AND MOVEMENT CONTROL IS IMPORTANT AS WELL AS IN THE YOUTH FACILITY.
YOU NOTICE THE EMPLOYMENT AREA THAT THE EMPLOYEES HAVE A PLACE THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO THEIR WORK AND BE SEPARATED FROM THE YOUTH WHEN IT IS THEIR TIME TO BE SEPARATED.
OR WHEN FAMILIES COME IN, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MEET WITH VISITATION IS TRUE VISITATION WHERE CLIENT, ATTORNEY AND CLIENT CAN ACTUALLY MEET.
IN OUR CURRENT FACILITY, WE HAVE ONE ROOM AND WE HAVE ONE MEETING AREA.
THAT SQUARE FOOTAGE WILL NOT ALLOW MORE THAN ONE YOUTH AND FAMILY TO MEET IN ORDER FOR IT TO BE PRIVATE IN THAT THEY CAN'T HEAR EACH OTHER'S CONVERSATIONS.
SO IT'S ONE AT TIME AND IT INTERFERES WITH THE VISITATION SCHEDULE.
SO A FACILITY LIKE THIS WILL ACCOMMODATE PARENTS AND FAMILIES ACTUALLY SUPPORTING THEIR YOUNG PEOPLE ON STAYING FOCUSED AND BENEFITING FROM WHATEVER PROGRAM THEY HAVE AVAILABLE.
IT ALLOWS ATTORNEY CLIENT MEETINGS SO THAT THERE IS MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION ALSO FOR THE EVALUATIONS THAT TAKE PLACE.
WE HAVE ONE ROOM FOR THAT AND IT'S A SALE.
IT'S A, IT'S A BARRED AREA THAT DOES NOT ALLOW CONDUCIVE TREATMENT.
AND SO ALL OF THESE PLACES HAVE AREAS THAT ARE CONDUCIVE TO THE TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT IS BEING DELIVERED SO THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE CAN RETAIN WHAT IT IS WE ARE TRYING TO HELP THEM WITH.
THOSE ARE EXCELLENT SAMPLES OF WHERE WE NEED TO GO.
AND IT'S LARGER, BUT BED UTILIZATION IS NOT NECESSARY LARGER.
IT IS WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING IN A WAY THAT IS SECURE AND A ACCOMMODATES THE MENTAL HEALTH AND THE BEHAVIOR HEALTH THAT WE SEE WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I'LL FINISH THIS ROUND WITH SOME QUICK COMMENTS, BUT IN THE, OH, WELL HERE'S GONNA SAY SOMETHING AFTER ME, BUT, UH, IN THE YOUTH FACILITY THAT WE SAW IN CALIE PARISH, WHICH WAS LAKE CHARLES, UM, THE COLORS, THEY USE PRIMARY COLORS LIKE IN AN EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, UH, ON THE WEEKENDS, YOU TALKING ABOUT CHANGING THE CULTURE STUFF THAT HAPPEN RIGHT NOW.
THEY, UH, ACTUALLY HAD HOT WINGS ON FRIDAY NIGHT.
ON SATURDAY, THEY HAD MOVIE NIGHT WITH POPCORN.
THEY HAD TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT THESE KIDS WANTED TO DO TO GIVE THEM REWARD BASED, UH, A REWARD BASED APPROACH.
[01:40:01]
IT HELPED WITH DEESCALATION.SO THEY WOULD NOT WANNA MOVE HOT WING GUMBO NIGHT, WHATEVER THEY HAD ON FRIDAY NIGHTS AND ON SATURDAYS THEY DIDN'T WANNA LOSE THEIR MOVIE PRIVILEGES.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID, AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONCE WE LOCK 'EM UP, THEY'RE STILL KIDS.
AND YOU TREAT A KID LIKE A KID, PUT 'EM BACK IN A JUVENILE TYPE MINDSET AND ENVIRONMENT AND YOU'LL SEE PRODUCTIVITY COME FROM THAT KID.
PEOPLE DON'T CARE MUCH, YOU KNOW, UNTIL THEY KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CARE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY FROM THE ADULT SIDE OF IT, THEY HAD THREE FORMS OF VISITATION.
ONE WAS IN PERSON, UM, ONE WAS OVER THE VIDEO SCREEN, AND THEN THEY HAD A THIRD MODEL THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE, WHICH YOU COULD ACTUALLY SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOUR KID IN A PRIVATE ROOM WHEN THEY COULD HAVE THEIR FAMILY TIME.
AND I, SO IF YOU SAW THE CURTAINS ON THERE, THERE WAS A REASON WHY CURTAINS WERE CLOSED.
BUT THAT WAS A FAMILY ROOM WHERE YOU COULD GO SPEND THE NIGHT WITH YOUR CHILD.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST REWARD FOR ANYBODY INCARCERATED.
THE LOVE OF A CHILD IS UNEXPLAINABLE.
AND SO BEING ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS TO NORMALIZE THEM, THE GIVING PURPOSE IS WHAT WE CAN DO AS A COLLECTIVE BODY.
AND UM, THE FINAL THING I'LL SAY IS THAT IT LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE GOING INTO CITY HALL OR LOOKED LIKE YOU WERE GOING INTO ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING.
YOU WERE, YOU WEREN'T, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A, A FENCE WITH BARBED WIRE AND, AND, AND IT CHANGES YOUR MINDSET AND PUTS YOU IN A HEIGHTENED STATE, EITHER AS A FAMILY MEMBER OR A PERSON WHO'S ABOUT TO BE INCARCERATED.
THE WHOLE THING WAS TO SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO SEE A LOVED ONE, LIKE A NURSING HOME OR A HOSPITAL.
THE WAY THAT YOU APPROACHED IT WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT'S NOT WHAT IT IS WHEN YOU WALK IN IT, IT DOES, IT TRAINS YOUR MINDSET TO NOT BE HEIGHTENED.
BUT ALSO WHEN THEY ENTERED, THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY GO THROUGH BARB WHITE AND OTHER THINGS.
THEY USED, UH, NO CLIMB FENCING, WHICH WE JUST PUT AT THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER AND OTHER THINGS.
SO IT LOOKED LIKE A NORMAL, UH, GOVERNMENT BUILDING THAT WAS SURROUNDED BY A FENCE.
SO ALL THOSE DEESCALATION TOOLS ARE THE REASON WHY THEY HAVE LESS MENTAL ISSUES CAUSED FROM THE FACILITY AND MORE PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE.
MORE, MORE OF COMMENT TYPE THING.
AND, UH, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT THE SERVICES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I I, I'M GLAD WE SAW THE FACILITIES.
I I THINK IT'S GONNA BOIL DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, THOSE FACILITIES ARE GREAT.
I THINK WE'LL COME UP WITH OUR OWN DESIGN AND IDEAS, BUT I, I JUST WANNA SAY AS FAR AS MYSELF BEING A PART OF THIS TASK FORCE IS ABOUT COST OF THE BUILDING.
WHAT SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING NOW THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE IN THE NEW FACILITIES, UH, FACILITY BUILT IN THE 1960S OR THE 1980S WAS IT BUILT TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING NOW FOR THESE, UH, INMATES, PRISONERS, UH, PEOPLE IN INCARCERATED FOR THE TIME BEING, UH, PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING IN DETENTION, JUVENILE FACILITIES.
THERE'S SO MANY MORE SERVICES THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AND WE'VE TRIED TO IMPROVISE OVER ALL THESE YEARS BY TAKING THESE SAME FACILITIES AND MAKING THEM ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE AS A SOCIETY ARE PROVIDING FOR, UM, THE INMATES AND STUFF.
SO AGAIN, I I, I WOULD HOPE WE CAN, AS A TASK FORCE, WE FOCUS ON GETTING THE FACILITIES TO THE APPROPRIATE SIZE, PLACE, AND CONDITION FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE PROVIDING NOW.
PLUS, TO DO ITS ULTIMATE JOB OF, UM, HAVING THESE PEOPLE.
THERE'S, THERE'S SOME BAD OFFENDERS, THERE'S SOME PEOPLE THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THERE LONG, BUT WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, I, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THAT.
AND I, A LOT OF THIS, I THINK I MYSELF AM GONNA DEFER TO THE WARDEN IN LETTING US KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT SIZE YOU NEED, HOW MANY FAMILY REAMS DO YOU NEED? UH, THE, THE JUVENILE FACILITIES WARDEN DIRECTOR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY CALL 'EM, UH, IF THEY CALL 'EM THE SAME THING, TELL US HOW MANY FAMILY ROOMS DO YOU NEED? HOW MANY, HOW MUCH LARGER DO YOU NEED THE CONFERENCE FACILITY? DO YOU NEED MORE THAN ONE CONFERENCE FACILITY? AND FOCUS ON THAT STUFF THAT WE NEED.
NOT CREATING NEW PROGRAMS, NOT CREATING NEW THINGS, CREATING THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE NEED FOR THE FACILITIES THAT WE NEED NOW AND FOR IN THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING THAT WE STICK WITH IS ON THE TASK FORCE.
WE COME UP WITH A COST, THEN WE FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA FUND IT.
UM, WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH THAT.
AND UNLIKE A LOT OF OTHER STUDIES THAT WE
[01:45:01]
DO, LET'S ACTUALLY GET THIS ONE.I'M NOT SAYING WE DO A STUDY, I THINK WE CAN DO THIS OURSELVES AS FAR AS KIND OF WHAT WE NEED AND SO ON AND, AND KIND OF COME UP WITH A PRICE TAG AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA GET THERE FROM THERE.
I HONESTLY THINK THAT WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY SENDING PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE PARISH.
I I THINK WE'RE SPENDING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY TRYING TO JUST MAINTAIN THESE FACILITIES AND ALL THOSE RESOURCES HAVE TO BE PUT INTO THE NEW PART.
WHAT ARE WE SPENDING ON THOSE? AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO FINANCE ABOUT GETTING SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT MAINTENANCE AS FAR AS WHAT IT'S COSTING US FOR EMPLOYEES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ANYWAY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE STUFF THAT WE WILL GET RID OF, THE COST THAT WE WILL GET RID OF BY HAVING THESE NEW FACILITIES.
SO, UH, I TELL YOU, I I'M, I'M GLAD TO BE UP HERE WITH Y'ALL.
I'M GLAD TO WORK OUT THESE IDEAS AND, AND, AND I DON'T THINK ANY IDEA IS A STUPID IDEA.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE VETTED OUT.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
WE'LL GO TO OUR, UH, LAST, REALLY OUR LAST SLIDE FOR THE MOST PART, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS, OKAY.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF WHY WE'RE HERE.
UM, AND I'LL TELL YOU, I'M GONNA PULL UP THE INVITE JUST TO MAKE SURE I GET IT CORRECT.
SO THE COMMITTEES THAT WILL, UH, BE HOSTING WILL I, I'LL READ THIS TO YOU, EAST PARISH RETENTION AND JAIL TASK FORCE WILL BE HOSTING IT, FIRST PUBLIC MEETING.
THIS NOTICE, THE TASK FORCE WAS DESIGNED TO EXPLORE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WITHOUT DETERIORATING CONDITIONS OF OUR CURRENT FACILITIES, VISIT OTHER FACILITIES TO UNDERSTAND THE POSSIBILITIES AND TO, AND TO DEVISE A PLAN TO REPLACE OUR CURRENT FACILITIES.
THIS MEETING WILL, WILL MEETING WILL ALLOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO JOIN COMMITTEES TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR A NEW FACILITY.
SO AS WE GO ON NUMBER THREE, THE FIRST COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE, AND I'LL SAY THIS COMMITTEE DISCUSSION OF SELECT SPANISH PARISH GENERAL ATTENTION ON THE TASK FORCE.
EACH COMMITTEE WILL HOST A MAKE OF DIRECT APPOINTEES BASED ON EXPERTISE OF TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS OUR DESIGN COMMITTEE.
UH, THE SHERIFF WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
THE MAYOR WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
OUR ASK IS THAT YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF EXPERTISE OR SEND SOMEONE THAT REPRESENTS, UM, THE COMMUNITY, UM, FROM A BUSINESS STANDPOINT THAT COULD BE AN ADVOCATE FOR YOU WITH, UH, EXPERIENCE IN THEIR FIELD.
THE, UH, SECOND ONE IS FINANCE.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
BATON ROUGE AREA CHAMBER WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT.
WE'LL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AND WE'LL HAVE TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SIT ON THERE.
UH, PROGRAMS. AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT PROGRAMS, AGAIN, THIS, FROM EVERYTHING THAT WE EXPERIENCED WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MAKING SURE THAT WE REDUCE RECIDIVISM BY GIVING THEM DEESCALATED TACTICS, BUT ALSO PROGRAMS THAT GAVE THEM HOPE SO THAT THEY COULD DO BETTER AS THEY WERE RELEASED.
UH, BRCC HAS AN APPOINTEE BE CHANCELLOR, UH, WILLIE SMITH, AFL, CIO, UH, LEWIS RAINEY WAS UNABLE TO BE TODAY AT THE CAPITOL, UH, LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, BLACK WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, AND BRN WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE AS WELL, ALONG WITH TWO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE A BEST PRACTICES, UH, COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL INCLUDE AN EPR JAIL EMPLOYEE APPOINTEE.
SO LET GO BE APPOINTED BY THE BODY OF, UH, OF EMPLOYEES.
UM, A JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER EMPLOYEE APPOINTEE, AGAIN BY THE BODY, NOT BY THE, UH, WHARTON, PREFERABLY NOT BY THE WHARTON TWO INMATES.
ONE CURRENTLY INCARCERATED, ONE FORMER INCARCERATED.
JEWEL DETENTION IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE IDENTITIES AND OTHER THINGS CANNOT BE REVEALED, BUT WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET FEEDBACK FROM WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR WHAT COULD MAKE THEM MORE PRODUCTIVE.
UM, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, AND THE A CLU WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE.
WE'LL HAVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WHICH IS BATERS AREA CHAMBER BAT NORTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, TOGETHER BATON ROUGE.
AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS, UH, PUT OUT A PUBLIC NOTICE WHERE YOU CAN SUBMIT THE NAMES TO OUR COUNCIL ADMINISTRATOR OF WHO YOU'D WANT TO HAVE APPOINTED TO THOSE COMMITTEES.
UM, AND THEN BY THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY SELECTED FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WILL HAVE OUR TASK FORCE SELECT, UH, WHO
[01:50:01]
WILL BE A PART OF THAT.PREFERABLY LOOKING AT EXPERTISE FIRST.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, IF THEY'RE NOT DIRECTLY, UH, EXPERTS IN THOSE AREAS, WHAT ELSE DO THEY BRING TO THE TABLE? UM, AT THIS TIME, WE WON'T SELECT IT TONIGHT, WE'LL PUT OUT A PUBLIC NOTICE FOR THAT.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE REPRESENTED TONIGHT FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHO ARE HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL AS, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED FROM AN ADVOCACY STANDPOINT TO MAKE SURE WE DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.
SO WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MY NAME IS STEPHANIE AL WILLIS.
I'M THE POLICY STRATEGIST FOR THE A CLE OF LOUISIANA.
UM, I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE, UH, THIS EVENING AND TO HEAR, UM, THE COMBINED, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS THAT IS GOING INTO, UM, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS, UM, OF THESE FACILITIES OR THIS FACILITY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING A LOT MORE.
UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ASKING QUESTIONS, THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS, AND TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW WE CAN BETTER MOVE FORWARD FOR, UM, THE EAST BATON ROUGE COMMUNITY.
ANYONE COMMENT? GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.
UH, OMAN, SERVICE ASSISTANT SECRETARY AT THE, UH, LOUISIANA WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN KIND OF, UH, JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES, R WOODS AND KENNY LYNCH.
UM, OBVIOUSLY DEEPLY COMMITTED TO, TO THIS WORK AT THE WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ON THE, UH, PROGRAMS COMMITTEE AND, AND SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.
I'LL GO TO THE TASK FORCE MEMBERS.
WHAT'S OUR TIMELINE IN SELECTING THESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? SO OUR NEXT MEETING, AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS IS GOING TO BE A, INITIALLY, A SLOWER PROCESS THAT WILL THEN SPEED UP.
OUR PUBLIC COMMITMENT WAS TO HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING EVERY OTHER MONTH.
AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO IS HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING IN BETWEEN, UH, WHERE WE CAN GET WITH DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, WHERE WE CAN GET WITH NATIONAL SPECIALISTS ON HOW TO PROPERLY PROGRAM A FACILITY, TALK TO THE WARDEN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HER VISION IS TO MAKE IT A GREAT WORK ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT'S BEST PRACTICES DOES SHE BRING FROM DOC AND OTHER THINGS.
SO, UM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS OVER THE NEXT 30 DAYS, WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO SUBMIT.
AND THEN AT THE NEXT TASK FORCE MEETING, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL SELECT WHILE VOTE, WHO WILL BE ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND ALSO BY THAT TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE DIRECT APPOINTEES FROM BOTH, UM, FROM ALL ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE INCLUDED AS A PART OF THIS.
AND WE LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT WE'VE SELECTED, PRCC, EC, PTECH WELDING, CDLS, THE ACL, UH, A-F-L-C-L, THE UNIONS, THE CARPENTRY, THE HVAC, THE, UM, ELECTRICIANS, PLUMBERS AND PIPEFITTERS, UH, PAINTERS.
UH, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO CAN DIRECTLY COME OUT OF INCARCERATED, UH, POSITIONS GOING THROUGH THE WORKFORCE DAY ONE 'CAUSE THESE, THE DESIRED, UM, JOBS.
WE LOOK AT THE BATON ROUGE NORTH ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH IS OUR NORTH CHAMBER, OR ONE OF THEM ALONG WITH BATON AREA CHAMBER FOUNDATION, WORKFORCE COMMISSION.
THEY KEEP UP WITH THE TRENDS OF WHERE WORKFORCE IS HEADED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESOURCES AROUND THOSE, UM, UH, SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE, UH, WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING OUT OF THE INCARCERATED POSITION.
SO, UM, THIS WILL BE A VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING EXERCISE, BUT THE END RESULT WILL BE BETTER FOR EVERYBODY IN THESE RIDGE PARISH OR PEOPLE THAT PASS THROUGH AND MAY HAPPEN TO HAVE A, UH, HAVE A SHORT STINT THERE.
I WANTED TO ALSO, UM, ASK OR JUST, UM, FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES OF THESE COMMITTEES THAT ARE FORMED.
THEY CAN STILL SEEK OUT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN, UM, IN THE AREAS OF THE COMMITTEE TO BE INFORMED AS THE COMMITTEE ITSELF IS, IS MAKING DECISIONS THAT THEY WILL PRESENT TO THE TASK FORCE.
WILL THAT BE POSSIBLE? UM, A A ABSOLUTELY.
IF WE LOOK AROUND THE ROOM RIGHT NOW, WORKFORCE CAN ONLY HAVE TWO APPOINTEES, BUT YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
HE HAVE, UM, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF MARTIN DANIELS, WHO'S WITH BRPD, WHO DOESN'T HAVE AN APPOINTEE ON THIS COMMITTEE.
HE HAVE THE DA'S OFFICE WHO WILL BE HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE HILLER MOORE AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCESSES TO WHERE WE CAN GIVE HIM FEEDBACK ON HOW TO SPEED THE PROCESS UP TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH.
UM, UM, EARLY ON, WE HAVE CJ CCC IN THE ROOM, WHETHER THEY'RE APPOINTED OR NOT, THEY'RE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELD.
WE HAD MR. JIMMY, UH, UH, ABERT WITH GRACE ABERT ARCHITECTS, THE, THE GENTLEMAN WITH THE SUIT THAT LEFT WHO HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH BUILDING FACILITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU ONE COMMENT THAT HE BROUGHT
[01:55:01]
TO MY ATTENTION AS WE DO, WE BRING THIS FACILITY UP, IS THAT THE ONE IN NEW ORLEANS? WE DID NOT WANT TO, THEY WANTED TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF IT, REDUCE THE POPULATION, THEY'RE SHIPPING PEOPLE OUT ALREADY INSTEAD OF KEEPING 'EM IN PARIS BECAUSE THEY DECIDED TO REDUCE POPULATION.SO NOW THEY'RE FARTHER AWAY IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO GIVE VISITS FROM LOVED ONES BECAUSE THEY'RE AT CAPACITY ALREADY WITH NEW FACILITY.
SO THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAN ON BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND OTHERWISE TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US EXPERTISE AND FEEDBACK ON BEST PRACTICES THAT WE COULD USE FROM DESIGN PROGRAM AND FINANCE AND OTHER THINGS, BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE IT TO FRUITION.
AND THEN, UH, WARDEN, UH,
SO THE ANSWER IS I'M SURE SHE'LL REACH OUT TO HER RESOURCES AS WELL AS, UH, WILL WE FROM A COUNCIL AND THEN FROM A MAYOR STANDPOINT AND JUDGES AS WELL.
SO THE ANSWER TO ALL THAT WOULD BE YES.
ANY MORE COMMENT? WELL, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING US FOR THE FIRST MEETING.
WE STARTED ABOUT ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR, SO ABOUT AN HOUR AND 40 MINUTES.
BUT HOPEFULLY YOU GOT VALUE OUT OF THIS TO SEE THAT OUR GOAL IS NOT TO LOCK FOLKS UP.
OUR GOAL IS TO WHATEVER STATE THAT THEY'RE IN THERE TO MAKE IT BETTER SO THAT THEY NEVER RETURN.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR, YOUR COMMENTS, AND UH, I'LL, I'LL LET THE SHERIFF CLOSE IT OUT.
AND I JUST WANNA APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE, UH, AND, AND GOING FORWARD.
UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, AND WE GOTTA COME TOGETHER TO DO IT.
UH, THAT IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST WANNA COMMENT ON THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE MENTAL, UH, STATE THAT THE BUILDING ITSELF HAS UPON PEOPLE THAT ARE INCARCERATED AND HAVE ON OUR EMPLOYEES, BUT IT GOES BEYOND THOSE DOORS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FAMILIES THAT'S GOT TO COME IN THERE, THEY'RE ALREADY DEPRESSED 'CAUSE THEY GOT A LOVED ONE INCARCERATED, AND, UM, THEY COME IN WITH A SMILE ON THEIR FACE TO UPLIFT THEIR, THEIR FAMILY MEMBER, BUT THEY LEAVE WITH TEARS IN THEIR EYES.
AND IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SEE ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T WANT, UM, WE WANNA MAKE IT AS BEST AS WE CAN.
AND, AND, AND I'VE GOT ALL THE CONFIDENCE IN THE WORLD IN THE WARDEN.
UH, SHE'S VERY WELL RESPECTED IN HER FIELD AND SHE'S GOT SOME WONDERFUL IDEAS.
UH, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, I MEAN, SHE'S GOT SOME POSITIVE THINGS THAT THAT'S GONNA MAKE SOME REAL POSITIVE CHANGES.
BUT, UM, WE HAD A SHAKEDOWN IN THE PRISON, UH, LAST WEEK AND WE GOT SOME 15, 20 SHANKS OUT OF THERE.
UH, WE GOT SOME DOPE, UH, BUT WE HAD, WE HAD OTHER THINGS, SOME CELL PHONES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND SINCE THAT TIME SHE'S HAD INMATE FEEDBACK THAT SAID, THANK YOU FOR GETTING THIS STUFF OUT HERE.
SO I, I COMMEND HER AND WHAT SHE'S DOING, UH, AND, AND WE'RE GONNA BE, WE'RE GONNA BE, I'M GONNA BE TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF HER, UH, AND RELY ON HER AND HER EXPERT, UH, OPINIONS AND, AND BASED ON WHAT SHE'S ACTUALLY SEEN AND DONE.
SO I, I JUST, I'M LIKE, JUDGE JOHNSON, WE CAN'T POINT FINGERS.
WE CAN'T GO BACK TO THE OLD THING.
THIS IS A NEW DAY AND IT'S A NEW DAY WITH, WITH HER.
AND I THINK I KNOW YOU ARE, UH, AND, AND OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.
AND TO EACH COMMITTEE MEMBER, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.
UH, AND I'M, AND I'M, I'M VERY GLAD YOU SITTING ON THIS COMMITTEE 'CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT.
AND, UH, YOU BRING A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE MAY NOT NORMALLY GET.
UH, SO, BUT, UH, I THINK I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I'M PRAYERFUL THAT THIS, THIS WILL COME TO FRUITION.
UH, AND IT WILL HAVE A FACILITY THAT, UH, IT, THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE PLEASED WITH AND PROUD OF, WHETHER IT'S THE JUVENILE FACILITY, ADULT FACILITY OR, OR WHAT.
BUT, UH, I THINK WHAT I'VE HEARD HERE TODAY, EVERYBODY BASICALLY KNOWS THE PROBLEMS AND KNOWS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND, UH, I'LL, I'LL REITERATE AND CLOSE WITH THIS.
UH, UM, I CAN'T EXPRESS UPON Y'ALL ENOUGH.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN INCARCERATE, UH, INCARCERATION.
THAT'S A ANCHOR, I MEAN, FOR EVERYTHING, UH, ECONOMICALLY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO, UH, I KNOW I WON'T LIVE TO FOR THAT
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DAY, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE THE DAY WHEN WE DON'T HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE IN JAIL.BUT, UH, THAT'S NOT THE REALITY IN WHICH WE LIVE NOW.
UH, AND WE JUST HAVE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN THE BEST WE HAVE AND WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
BUT, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAD TO SAY TO THANK YOU.
I THOUGHT ABOUT SOMETHING THAT JUDGE GILL RAISED.
SO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAS HAD THREE PEOPLE COME, WHICH IS ACL LESLIE CHAMBERS, ACL MARK, ARMSTRONG AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, DANTE BIDWELL.
UM, THE, THE JUDGE'S STAFF HAS HAD THREE BASED ON COURT CASES IN LOAD.
UM, CHIEF JUDGE DON JOHNSON, UH, CRIMINAL JUDGE EBONY, UH, JOHNSON ROSE AND CRIMINAL JUDGE.
GAIL RAY, AND Y'ALL MAY NOT KNOW, BUT GAIL RAY HAS HAD A CHILD INCARCERATED FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND SHE'S BEEN A JUDGE FOR OVER FOUR, I MEAN A, A LAWYER FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
AND WHEN SHE VISITED LAFOURCHE PARISH, SHE SAID, I JOINED THIS TASK FORCE, BUT NEVER DID I EVER THINK I WOULD EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER JAIL.
I WAS COMPLETELY AGAINST BUILDING ANY NEW JAILS IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
BUT WHEN SHE LEFT THAT FACILITY, SHE SAID, AFTER VISITING HERE TODAY, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT BECAUSE I SEE WHAT GOOD LOOKS LIKE.
SAME WAY SHEREE'S MINDSET CHANGED.
SHE WAS THERE AS WELL WHEN THAT COMMENT WAS MADE.
SO THIS HAS BEEN AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYBODY.
I THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME OUTTA YOUR DAY, YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE FACILITY, TO CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY AND TO CARE ABOUT THE WORKFORCE THAT, THAT, THAT SERVES EVERY DAY.
SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND, UH, MEETING ADJOURNED.