Justice Department says Louisiana prison holds inmates beyond release dates

Jan. 25 (UPI) -- The Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections keeps prisoners in custody beyond the dates they are meant to be released, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

In a press release, the Justice Department said it concluded the Louisiana Department of Corrections "routinely" violates the Fourteenth Amendment rights of prisoners by denying timely release.

Between January and April 2022, more than 26% of the people released from the prison system were released after the end of their sentence. About 24% were held for an extra 90 days or more. This resulted in more than $850,000 fines against the LDOC, or an estimated $2.5 million per year.

"There is an obligation both to incarcerated persons and the taxpayers not to keep someone incarcerated for longer than they should be," said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana.

"This can be costly from a physical and mental standpoint for the incarcerated individual and a waste of money for the taxpayer. Timely release is not only a legal obligation, but arguably of equal importance, a moral obligation."

As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, the Justice Department provided LDOC with written notice of the facts of its case, as well as remedial measures to address them.

The findings from the Justice Department suggest the LDOC has failed to release people on time for at least 10 years.

The investigation into the department of corrections began in December 2020 under the Justice Department's Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons division.

""It is the job of the U.S. Department of Justice to protect the constitutional rights of every person, including individuals who are incarcerated," said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr. for the Middle District of Louisiana.

"While all government agencies operate under constraints, that is no excuse for violating the rights of people who have served their sentences and are ready to start their lives anew."

In 2021, 12,572 people were released from prison by the LDOC. Eight percent were full time releases and more than 84% were granted good-time releases, which is a credit-based release for good behavior. More than 90% served five years or less.