NEW ORLEANS — Orleans Parish Juvenile Court judges decided Wednesday to hold all juvenile suspects they believe present a risk to public safety in law enforcement custody until they see a judge.
In a special meeting, the judges passed the agreement unanimously.
"Detention is not the solution,” the judges said in a statement announcing the new policy. “In order to prevent further escalation into the criminal justice system, courts need options such as electronic monitoring, pro-social community-based activities that keep kids off the streets and out of trouble, respite placement, and mentoring programs.”
The decision of whom to release and whom to keep in custody will be made after screening a juvenile, a process that uses a series of questions to determine how likely a suspect is to commit another crime if they are released from custody, as well as the likelihood that they suspect will appear in court if summoned.
The policy change comes as juvenile crime has increased in New Orleans.
Police have arrested hundreds of juvenile suspects in 2019, but officials have repeatedly said they are frustrated by the number of juvenile suspects who are quickly released.
While the new court policy is aimed at lowering juvenile crime, not all juvenile suspects would be subject to the new restrictions. Any minor accused of burglary or other “non-violent” crimes could still be released from custody without seeing a judge if they are not deemed a danger to public safety.
The Louisiana Center for Children's Rights, a nonprofit law firm that defends minors, said in a statement after the announcement that the judges had gone too far, and would increase the strains on detention centers.
"We already have a tool to determine whether or not a child poses a risk to public safety," the group said. "If the Court wants to disregard that tool, we’re going to have a detention center that’s overcrowded with kids who don’t need to be there. Those resources are better spent on programs that safely and effectively supervise youth in the community while their case is pending."