The state of Louisiana and its corrections department are facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department for unlawfully imprisoning thousands of individuals beyond their release dates. According to the Justice Department, a significant number of people have been held past their release dates each year since 2012, violating the due process clause in the 14th Amendment. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated that this practice not only infringes on individual liberty but also undermines public trust in the fair application of laws. The Justice Department aims to present its case in court and seeks to address the issues identified through injunctive relief.
Federal prosecutors attribute Louisiana’s chronic procedural failures and “deliberate indifference” to a longstanding pattern of detaining individuals past their legal release dates, costing the state over $2.5 million annually. The lawsuit follows a thorough DOJ investigation that found unlawful detainment practices in the state. The Justice Department filed a 26-page complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, highlighting numerous instances where individuals were held past their release dates, including those eligible for immediate release.
The lawsuit emphasizes the state’s outdated systems and practices, leading to errors and administrative delays throughout the release process. Despite efforts to develop a new system since 2018, Louisiana’s corrections department still relies on the old system, exacerbating delays in releasing individuals. The lack of uniform procedures for obtaining sentencing paperwork from courts and sheriff’s departments further contributes to these delays. Federal prosecutors criticize the corrections department’s awareness of the issue over the years, labeling it as deliberate indifference to the problem at hand.
“While the State has made some efforts to address the systemic issues that result in overdetention, the Justice Department finds these steps insufficient in tackling the long-standing deficiencies well-known to the State,” stated the Justice Department.
