The Justice and Accountability Center of Louisiana (JAC) promotes criminal justice reforms by developing and advocating for sensible, cost-effective policy that adheres to the tenets of fundamental rights and human dignity. In pursuing these ends, we recognize the state of incarceration both at a national and state level as grossly inflated. The human footprint of this nation’s prisons has grown exponentially since the 1980s when “zero tolerance” policies were enacted and pri

I was recently driving a section of the interstate (I10 as we know it here in New Orleans) and noticed streetlight after streetlight was conspicuously dark. I began noticing more streetlights out in neighborhoods, on streets, and in commonly used corridors. Had it not been for my headlights, much of what was before me would have gone unseen. I started to think about how other people interpreted these outages and what is means for the social and civic health of communities. Wh

The American Prison is a harsh landscape offering few pleasant accommodations, designed solely for retribution and restitution. Being incarcerated means learning to retool and refashion routines and methods for daily life. The simplest tasks, like taking a shower, become a challenging exercise of negotiation. Consider what most people need for a shower: soap at the very least and in some instances, a razor or conditioner. These sundry items are, to those on the outside, easil