OpEd: For decades, Angola prison has been the subject of lawsuits and criminal investigations alleging and documenting systemic abuse of the incarcerated, including physical beatings, lack of adequate health care, and torture via solitary confinement.
. It is in this place of despair — this site of racial oppression, punishment, and brutality — that Louisiana is now detaining children, most of whom are Black. To make matters worse, the state's leaders are forcing these children to live on Angola’s former death row.The children who are being moved to Angola have not been convicted of a crime, but adjudicated as “delinquent” in a civil proceeding.
Placing children in prison settings is not only immoral, it is unconstitutional. Children in the juvenile justice system have a legal right to rehabilitation, not punishment. Rehabilitation means that kids should live in an environment that still feels like a home or in a dorm where they have access to school, counseling, therapy, recreation, and other services, and in-person visits with their families.
Based on the experiences of children already housed at Angola, the juvenile justice department, which has been plagued by, has already fallen short in providing essential rehabilitative services. The shortages, coupled with Angola’s remote location, make us doubtful that these children will ever receive the services they need.
Additionally, according to a memorandum of understanding exhibited in court, Angola’s guards are permitted to use the same force against children as they use against adults. This includes pepper spray, tasers, and shackling — all of which can have deadly results. A state official testified during a court hearing that children would not be locked alone in a cell for more than eight hours a day, but two teens have reported being locked down for multiple days.
The decision by Louisiana’s leaders to move these children to Angola is the latest in a series of immoral, unconstitutional choices that have caused irreparable harm to young people. Already this year,
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Demolition Begins of Notorious Southern Dallas Toxic Waste SiteDemolition began Thursday at the notorious Lane Plating site on Bonnie View Road, five miles south of downtown Dallas.
Read more »
This Glowing Paso Robles Realm Is Holding Its First Photo Contest'Sensorio' lovers, the Paso Robles art installation is holding its first photo contest; find your best snap of the magical shimmer-space ASAP.
Read more »
$1 Billion Worth of Crypto Sold by Peter Thiel's Fund After Holding for 8 YearsOne of the biggest funds on the market sold $1 billion worth of crypto holdings, while its founder actively promoted Bitcoin
Read more »
Pa. ‘tripledemic’ watch: hospitals holding up, but COVID-19 deaths risingThe goods news is that the rates of new flu cases and COVID-19 cases fell during the past week.
Read more »
'Holding onto history,' Dallas' Longhorn Ballroom to once again welcome live musicians.'While they often see the rest of community transforming into something they may no longer recognize, it's nice to see at least one or two venues here still holding onto history.'
Read more »
MakerDAO narrowly votes to keep holding Gemini's stablecoinWith Digital Currency Group's Genesis crypto lending unit said to be on the brink of a bankruptcy filing, a group of folks reassessed the risk associated with one stablecoin in the mix: the U.S. dollar-pegged Gemini Dollar.
Read more »