NEW ORLEANS — Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams is calling on the juvenile court system to make massive changes to its electronic monitoring program.
According to Williams, in its current state there is no way to know if juvenile offenders are actually being monitored.
“There is very little transparency about how and when juvenile defendants are released and under what conditions or how or if they will actually be monitored when given these electronic monitors,” he said.
Williams says it became clear back in June when a 15-year-old, who was supposed to be monitored through supervised release, allegedly shot and killed 43-year-old Kristie Thibodeaux while she sat in her car in the French quarter.
“He had a deactivated ankle monitor and he had a history of violating and being allowed back on the street," said Williams.
Monday Williams told WWL Louisiana that he wants judges to call a hearing for all juveniles currently under the monitoring program.
“Evaluate these defendants to determine if they are compliant or not. We're further asking that any defendants being found to be non-compliant or in violation of the terms and conditions of that court-ordered release of ankle monitor, we're asking that they be taken into custody," he said.
Since early July the WWL Louisiana staff has been trying to reach the Office of Juvenile Justice to get clarity on how the monitoring system works currently. There has been no response.
Last month, a representative from an ankle monitoring company that works with adults told us the juvenile program is broken.
“They have to be proactive," said Jill Dennis of ASAP Ankle Monitoring. "If they are going to release a juvenile onto an ankle monitor with a set of conditions, they have to enforce those conditions.”
Tuesday DA Williams plans to address his concerns at the state's Juvenile Justice Summit with the Governor and Attorney General.