Can teens be transferred to Angola? Move proposed by Louisiana governor on hold
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Youth at a detention center in Bridge City, where multiple juveniles have escaped this year, will not be transferred to an adult facility before Sept. 15.
The potential transfer of about 24 juveniles to Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola was announced by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards during a July 19 press conference and was met with opposition from juvenile justice advocates.The announcement came after six youth broke out of the Jefferson Parish center and were accused of shooting a 59-year-old man during a carjacking.
Molly Smith, a mother of a juvenile identified as Alex A. in court documents, filed a lawsuit earlier this month arguing the transfer violated her son’s 14th Amendment rights and wouldn’t provide adequate educational and rehabilitative services to her son and others like him who have disabilities.
“Ms. Smith is terrified that her son will be locked in a windowless cell for 24 hours a day, or that he will be exposed to adults who are incarcerated at LSP,” David Utter, one of the attorneys representing Smith and other juveniles, wrote in the lawsuit.
“She is also concerned that Plaintiff will be deprived of the education, medical and mental health treatment, and rehabilitative services he requires when he is moved to LSP.”
Her son said he learned about the transfer while watching TV at the juvenile detention center.
The lawsuit named the defendants as Gov. John Bel Edwards, the Department of Corrections, Deputy Secretary of the Office of Juvenile Justice William Sommers and Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections James LeBlanc.
After a hearing Tuesday with both state officials and representatives of the juveniles, Federal District Court Judge Shelly Dick decided not to grant an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order because the state said none of the youth detainees would be transferred before Sept. 15.
Instead, she will hear arguments from both sides about a preliminary injunction on Sept. 6 and 7.
What arguments does the lawsuit make?
The lawsuit argues that transferring the juveniles places them “at risk of unspeakable harm and lifelong trauma.”Youth placed in adult facilities are more likely to commit suicide, more likely to suffer from sexual assault and trauma, and more likely to experience exacerbated mental health challenges, the lawsuit claims.
During his July press conference, Edwards said the youth would not have any contact with adults who are incarcerated at Angola.
"To be clear, they will not, under any circumstances, have contact with inmates," Edwards said at the time. "The structure is completely separate and apart from the camps that house the adult inmates."
Despite Edwards’ assurances about separating juveniles and adults, and that the youth would have access to counseling, educational programming and other services, there is no plan to support that, the lawsuit claims.Dick ordered the state to produce a plan to the court by Wednesday.
“Plaintiff (Alex A.) fears that he will be subjected to unsafe conditions and violence at LSP,” Utter wrote in the lawsuit. “Additionally, plaintiff is concerned that he will not receive the same level of treatment, counseling, and education he receives at (Bridge City).”
The lawsuit alleges Louisiana DOC staff have already been brought into Bridge City and used mace on youth at the facility.
The penitentiary also does not have a school capable of providing learning disability services for students in the Juvenile Justice Center’s care who have individual accommodations plans, the lawsuit alleges.
Alex A., the 17-year-old whose mother brought the lawsuit, attends school at the Bridge City facility with accommodations for his learning disabilities such as being able to use a calculator and access to read-aloud services. He receives intensive counseling and treatment services, including individual and group counseling.
“Because LSP is not equipped to provide education, mental health programming, or other forms of rehabilitation, youth moved to LSP will also be less likely to progress on their rehabilitative journey so that they can return home to their families healthy and whole,” Utter wrote.
Instead of transferring juveniles to the state penitentiary, the lawsuit claims the state could have determined if any of the youth are eligible for alternatives to secure detention.
There were at least 15 escapes from Bridge City this year, KLFY reported in July.
Edwards said during his July press conference the issues at Bridge City are exacerbated by the facility being decades old and that it wasn't built to be a secure facility.
Long-term solutions are in the works, Edwards said. A new housing center and behavioral unit are being built in Monroe. The Office of Juvenile Justice also is looking at creating new juvenile facilities or refurbishing existing facilities.
Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Can teens be kept at Angola? Move proposed by Gov. Edwards on hold
