A federal lawsuit was filed by the Justice Department against Louisiana and its Department of Public Safety and Corrections over allegations of keeping inmates incarcerated beyond their legal release dates. In response, state officials blamed previous criminal justice reforms and touted their efforts to maintain public safety, while the lawsuit underscores longstanding issues with constitutional rights and due process.

A federal judge ruled that the labor practices on Angola’s Farm Line, managed by the Louisiana Department of Corrections, expose incarcerated workers to extreme heat, inadequate safety measures, and exploitative conditions akin to 19th-century slavery. The ruling mandated policy changes including improved access to shade, rest breaks, and protective gear, amid reports of dangerous work conditions and punitive measures. The department has filed a notice of appeal against the ruling.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported that the Louisiana Department of Corrections has been systematically holding inmates past their legal release dates, violating the Fourteenth Amendment and depriving individuals of due process. The agency has been aware of this issue for over a decade without implementing adequate reforms.

The U.S. Department of Justice reported that the Louisiana Department of Corrections has been holding inmates past their legal release dates, violating the Fourteenth Amendment and denying due process. The report cites systemic failures, with nearly 27% of released inmates detained beyond their designated dates between January and April 2022, leading to significant additional costs and highlighting long-standing issues that have persisted for over a decade.

A Washington Post exposé reveals that incarcerated individuals in Louisiana are forced to perform unpaid labor under conditions likened to slavery, highlighting serious concerns over labor exploitation and human rights abuses within the correctional system overseen by the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

Federal investigators reported that the Louisiana Department of Corrections routinely detained inmates past their legal release dates, in breach of constitutional protections and costing the state millions. The practice, observed between January and April 2022, reflects long-standing systemic issues and a disregard for due process, despite repeated notices to reform detention policies.

A Louisiana lawmaker has introduced legislation to amend the state constitution, seeking to end the 'slavery exception' clause that allows forced labor as punishment for crime—a practice that has long enabled the Department of Corrections to engage in exploitative labor practices within prisons. This move underscores longstanding concerns about the treatment of incarcerated individuals, who work for extremely low wages under conditions compared to legalized slavery.