In Louisiana, a state that routinely has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, lawmakers are considering a bill that would eliminate the chance of parole for nearly all prisoners convicted after Aug. 1. There would be a few exceptions, including groups for whom it is constitutionally required, like juveniles sentenced to life terms. The legislation is part of the GOP-dominated Legislature’s conservative list of bills that are being discussed during a special session, in an effort to tamp down violent crime in the state. The tough-on-crime policies, which Democrats argue do not address the root of the issue, could overhaul parts of the Louisiana’s criminal justice system and public safety sector.
