A civil rights lawsuit involving a jail is rarely as straightforward as telling a solicitor what happened and asking them to file papers. In East Baton Rouge…
A victim’s rights law is usually presented as a safeguard for people harmed by crime. It may give victims notice of hearings, a chance to make a statement,…
In East Baton Rouge Parish, a person’s freedom before trial can depend on a short hearing, limited information and a bond recommendation from the District…
The financial burden of medical copays for incarcerated people is easy to underestimate. A charge that looks modest on paper can consume the money available…
Addiction is a health condition that can bring serious harm to individuals, families and communities. Yet people whose offending is closely connected to drug…
A petition can bring public attention to alleged abuse, unsafe conditions, preventable deaths, unlawful detention, or failures in medical and mental-health…
A person charged with a low-level offence can lose far more than a court date. Pretrial detention may mean missing work, losing housing, falling behind on…
An annual jail inspection report is a formal record of what an authorised inspection team observed, reviewed and tested inside a detention facility during a…
Sexual assault in custody can involve prisoners, detainees, staff members, contractors or other people held in the facility. The closed nature of prisons can…
Prison reform is often discussed through statistics, court decisions and policy reports. Those tools matter, yet public understanding is also shaped by trusted…