LAGOP: Led by Governor Edwards, Louisiana is the Most Violent State in America

Louisiana also named “Solitary Confinement Capital of the World”

Photo source: New York Magazine

Baton Rouge, LA – New state rankings, published by USA Today found that Louisiana, under the failed leadership of Governor John Bel Edwards, is the most violent state in America. The team at USA Today used the four metrics below to calculate their state rankings:

• Violent crime rate: 557.0 per 100,000 residents (4th highest)

• Murder rate: 12.4 per 100,000 residents (the highest)

• Incarceration rate: 719 per 100,000 residents (the highest)

• 2018 unemployment: 4.9% (3rd highest)

Under Governor Edwards, Louisiana has the highest murder rate in the United States. There were 12.4 murders in the state for every 100,000 residents in 2017 –making Louisiana the only state where murders were more than twice as common as they were nationwide. For reference, the national murder rate was 5.3 incidents per 100,000 people.

Murders in Louisiana are disproportionately concentrated in urban areas, with the New Orleans Metro Area topping the list of U.S. cities with the most gun violence.

Don’t worry, Governor Edwards says we are on the right path!

Last month, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana and Loyola’s Jesuit Social Research Institute joined with Solitary Watch to publish “Louisiana on Lockdown”, A Report on the Use of Solitary Confinement in Louisiana State Prisons, With Testimony from the People Who Live It. After researching the operation of Louisiana prisons under Governor Edwards, this report found “it is clear that Louisiana holds the title of solitary confinement capital of the WORLD.”

“When it conducted a full count in the fall of 2017, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections (LADOC) reported that 19 percent of the men in its state prisons—2,709 in all—had been in solitary confinement for more than two weeks. Many had been there for years or even decades. These rates of solitary confinement use were more than double the next highest state’s, and approximately four times the national average.”

Governor Edwards has a unique family interest in the Louisiana Prison system. He is quick to campaign on the fact that his family of sheriffs has operated the Tangipahoa Parish Prison across four generations or more. Currently, his brother Sheriff Daniel Edwards is overwhelmed by federal investigations into the operations and issues at the Tangipahoa Parish Prison.

Now we all just sit back and wait for the Governor to blame Bobby Jindal.

OPINION: U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, AG Jeff Landry column: Criminal justice reform actually hurting public safety

Photo source: The Advocate  

We’ve got to be smarter about this. We can’t let prisoners go simply to cut down on the cost of bologna sandwiches. Public safety needs to come first.

Read more:  U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, AG Jeff Landry column: Criminal justice reform actually hurting public safety

John Bel Edwards' Criminal Release Program Isn't Working Out That Well

Photo source: WWL

As per a recent WWL report, another one of our esteemed governor's early released prisoners has ended up right back in jail not long after his release.

Alton Brooks Jr. was most recently arrested Friday after Kenner Police said he was shoplifting at a Winn Dixie on Williams Boulevard.

The 49-year-old man was released Nov. 1, along with hundreds of other inmates who got another shot at life due to a new set of state laws that overhauled the criminal justice system.

This, along with a string of other early released prisoners, have recidivated since release from the state prison system.

Source: Man arrested four times since early release from prison

Citizens for Louisiana Job Creators: Released Prisoner Arrested for Armed Robbery

Photo source: WWL

Just a week after the Department of Corrections released 1900 criminals,WWL TV reports a habitual offender -- who was supposed to be in jail for 12 years but got out in 3 years -- robbed a man at gunpoint.

Governor Edwards' staffer, James Leblanc, indicated we needed to give the "reforms" time to work. Perhaps we could suggest that anyone who has SIXTY FOUR counts of burglary NOT be set free when Governor Edwards and the Department of Corrections decides to let the next batch of 1500+ criminals out of jail on December 1. 

As we said last week, lock your doors and as U.S. Senator Kennedy has suggested "you ought to own a handgun just in case."

A Glimpse Into "Honor Code's" Prison Reform

Source: Louisiana Dept. of Corrections

In case you missed this one, our own "Honor Code", John Bel Edwards, has decided that one of the most important things that needs to be done in this state is prison reform.  As a result, countless number of prisoners will be released.  As with most everything that a liberal might try, there will always be the problem cases.  One particular case would be this:

Law enforcement agencies in this area are especially worried because of the early release recently of a “career criminal” who has since been indicted for first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 10-year-old boy. He also wounded a 17-year-old whom authorities say may never walk again.

The accused man was paroled after serving 24 years of a 99-year prison sentence for armed robbery and other crimes. No explanation has been offered as to how he managed to be paroled.

One can only hope that the "governor" sees what a potential release of criminals will do for society and the citizens of Louisiana.  We urge him to carefully look at each and every case.

Source: Prisoner releases raising questions