Youth Corrections... What took So Long

Recently, Gov. John Bel Edwards directed the Louisiana State Police and the Department of Corrections to immediately provide additional personnel to assist the Office of Juvenile Justice with its staffing shortage at both Bridge City Center for Youth and Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe. Starting Friday, June 17, 2022, correctional and probation, and parole officers from DOC will begin augmenting OJJ staff, and State Police Troopers will secure the perimeter of the facilities. This comes in direct response to the recent disturbances at both centers. OJJ is also exploring additional short and long-term housing options.

"Starting June 17, there will be more manpower on-site at both Bridge City and Swanson providing extra security in order to ensure the safety of the youth, staff, and the surrounding communities," said Gov. Edwards. "Our goal is to make certain the unfortunate incidents that recently occurred at both facilities will not be repeated. It is an urgent situation, and this immediate solution will be in place for as long as necessary as we work to put a long-term staffing plan in place to ensure the safety of the youth who have been entrusted to our care as well as the staff. We are in conversations about the longer-term solution, and nothing is off the table. The issues are complex, but chief among them is the lack of employees and the major disrepair of the Bridge City campus. We have been working with Deputy Secretary Bill Sommers to address the issues and will continue to do so. Our commitment has always been to keep the youth secure while supporting their rehabilitation, and we have not and will not waiver from that." Late Thursday, June 16, 2022, 20 youth at Bridge City, ages 16 and 17, got into an altercation outside their assigned dormitories and overpowered staff. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department was called and deployed its SWAT Team. After restoring order, some of the youth involved were immediately transferred to another OJJ secured care facility. Five youth escaped from Bridge City the day before, and all have been recaptured. On Monday, June 13, there was a brawl at Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe, LA, in which local law enforcement responded to help regain control of the center. The Office of Juvenile Justice operates four secure care facilities statewide: The Bridge City Center for Youth, Swanson Center for Youth at Monroe, Swanson Center for Youth at Columbia, and Acadiana Center for Youth.