NEW ORLEANS — A new state law that will prosecute 17-year-olds as adults has raised some concerns for Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson and the Orleans Justice Center. Sheriff Hutson said the change will have a huge impact on the center.
She said it adds more administrative burdens, safety concerns and will cause an "unmanageable population explosion at OJC." The center is already at capacity limits, short-staffed, and still need to meet all the requirements of state and federal law, as well as consent decree mandates, Hutson said in a release.
"The current state budget and our city appropriation doesn’t provide for additional resources for staffing or programs. The outcome will be a recycling of people into the system, back to the streets without preparation to be successful, and continued crime and victimization of our community."
The new bill strikes out the 2017 law that had raised the age of prosecution in adult court to 18. The law applies to any 17-year-old who committed a crime since March 2019. If passed the law would take effect on Apr. 19.
This comes after Governor Landry announced the special session focusing on crime. In a release, Landry referred to the deadly carjacking of Linda Frickey that involved four teenagers ages 15-17.
"The former Administration’s criminal justice re-investment lowered the age of 17-year-olds charged with a violent crime. By lowering the age, it has resulted in actual incidents of older criminals recruiting 17-year-olds for criminal activity, knowing the consequences would be minimal. It has fast-tracked too many of our teenagers into a life of crime. The effect has been catastrophic.
These juveniles are not innocent children any longer; they are hardened criminals. They violently attack our citizens, our law enforcement officers, and even our juvenile correction officers without hesitation."
However, Hutson notes the change will have massive effects for OJC. The expected increase of youth will require the center to temporarily halt activities as youth are transported to and from court. It also takes 120 beds that are currently being used by adults because the center needs male and female pods regardless of how many youth enter OJC.
Mental, health and education services will also be impacted.
"This means 17-year-old's will not be allowed to attend school with older students at the Travis Hill School operating inside the OJC, and THS and OJC staff would need to make other accommodation to meet their needs."
Landry's bill calls for any person who is 17 years of age that is charged with a felony, be tried as an adult and "all juveniles adjudicated of any violent crime be in custody for a minimum of three years."
In a post on the platform "X', formerly known as Twitter, Landry said he was happy to see the Correct the Age Bill pass out of the committee.
Hutson said OPSO officials are working to develop a plan and find resources with the Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
"As Sheriff of Orleans Parish, I stand with the Orleans Parish legislative delegation in opposition to this measure with all due respect to the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association and individual Sheriffs across the state who support it."
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