The Real Cost of Prisons Weblog

Adults who were in OPP, Gretna, or other parish jails. About 8000 people locked up in Orleans (including pre-trial, boot camp, DOC prisoners, parish prisoners, etc.) evacuow in DOC prisons (including private contract prisons). Others went to Sheriffs' prisons throughout the state. There was apparently no rhyme or reason on who ended up where. The DOC set up a hotline today for families to call. Folks looking for their people should call (225) 342-3998 or (225) 342-5935 to locate where your loved one is now located. The hotline should be taking calls from 7:00 am - 10:00 pm, but it is not yet fully staffed. The DOC has said that they will only tell family members where their loved one is located, and will not have any other information (release date, case status, etc.). You should be allowed to give a message to your loved one. We do not know whether & how this official hotline will work. If you are having problems with the hotline, please contact me (preferably by email, if you're able). We still have not been able to find out how many of the 6000+ OPP prisoners are accounted for, and are hearing disturbing accounts of the evacuation of OPP. If you have any first or second person accounts, please send/forward here to my email lkung@schr.org mailto:lkung@schr.org.

Youth in detention All youths held in Bridge City Center for Youth (BCCY) are accounted for and are now held at Jetson Correctional Center. Call Jetson at (225) 778-9000 and ask for John Anderson, Michael Gaines, Ricky Wright, or Linda London. Family members should demand that their child be brought to the phone immediately and be allowed to talk to their family. Youths held at the Youth Study Center, Plaquemine Detention Center, St. Bernard Center, Terrebonne Detention Center, and Riverde Detention Center have been routed to placements in other parts of the state. Family members should call Perla at (225) 287-7988 or (225) 328-3607 (cell) or Stacey at (225) 287-7955 to find out where their child is located. Ask Perla for a phone number, call, and demand that they be permitted to speak to their child immediately on the phone. FFLIC has not confirmed that all youths have been accounted for. Adults arrested post-Katrina. The official word is that about 125 felony arrests have been processed through the "Camp Greyhound" jail, and that folks are being sent to Hunt Correctional. Youth arrested post-Katrina We do not yet know where people age 16 or under who were arrested during the general evacuation are being held.
Please help. If your city has a shelter, small or large, please go into the shelter and post the attached informational flyer. Call your local newspaper and ask them to run the hotline information. Distribute these hotline phone numbers in any way you can. The DOC currently does not have any plan for distributing the hotline numbers.

Thanks to everyone.

Lisa Kung

Southern Center for Human Rights

Atlanta, GA 30303

(404) 688-1202 ext. 225

(404) 688-9440 (fax)

(213) 595-5127 (cell)