A Louisiana bill could send more minors to adult prisons

CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS)—Louisiana Senate Bill 2, a proposed amendment to the Louisiana Constitution, could send more juveniles to adult jails.

Last Thursday, Louisiana Senators approved a bill to remove restrictions on sentencing individuals under 17 for various crimes as adults. The present constitution authorizes that, by a 2/3rds vote of each house, special juvenile procedures do not apply to juveniles arrested for the following offenses.

• 1st or 2nd-degree murder.
• Manslaughter.
• Aggravated rape.
• Armed robbery.
• Aggravated burglary.
• Aggravated kidnapping.
• Attempted 1st degree murder.
• Attempted 2nd degree murder.
• Forcible rape.
• Simple rape.
• 2nd degree kidnapping.
• A second or subsequent aggravated battery.
• A second or subsequent aggravated burglary.
• A second or subsequent offense of burglary of an inhabited dwelling.
• A second or subsequent felony-grade violation of the Uniform Controlled Dangerous
  Substances Law or prohibited transactions in drug-related objects, involving the
  manufacture, distribution, or possession with intent to distribute controlled
  dangerous substances

The amendment to Senate Bill 2 would remove this list and state that special juvenile procedures do not apply to juveniles arrested for any crime, such as theft.

Breka Peoples, a state organizer and activist, says this would cause a mass incarceration for the youth.

"We can't afford for our kids to go- our kids are our future. They deserve to grow and make mistakes you know. Let's say for instance you child goes to jail for shoplifting, he will go to an adult prison, they are building prisons, three prisons down south," said Peoples.

Peoples says the timing is disturbing, especially as this special session is on taxes.

"They didn't think we were watching, and we we're alert, but thank God for our elected officials down south that alerted us to let us know this is what they are pushing, this is what we need to fight, we need you up here at the capital, and that's what we did, we organized and went to the capital," said Peoples.

She adds that partnerships that work with children and families to curb the criminal justice cycle are vital now more than ever. One partnership is with Compassion for Lives.

Executive director for Compassion for Lives, Carla Buntyn, says she has been seeing an overpopulation of 18-year-olds in Caddo Correctional.

The non-profit organization provides services to address the root causes of crime including lack of education and poverty.

"It's not that I want to go commit a crime, it's just that's what I need to get x, y, and z, so you have to look at negating the adversity, but at the same time you have to look at instilling hope and providing avenues, for like you said children not to enter the juvenile justice system or make it to even becoming an adult entering the juvenile, or even the criminal justice system," said Vanessa Smith, director of programs for Compassion for Lives.

Compassion for Lives says there should be an investment in children, especially in education, and supporting families on minimum wage.

"If you give people goals and hope, it instills a lot, but you have to give somebody a way to address the adversity that many times leads to the crisis or poor decision making that many people enter the criminal justice system behind," said Smith.

Peoples says now is the time for people to pay attention as she says the issue will be brought to the voters.

"So you're telling me it's okay to put an elementary school child with a high school kid? you don't do that do they, you don't see that, then why are we doing it with adults, why are we doing it now, in adult prisons."

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