City Of New Orleans And Juvenile Justice Project Of Louisiana Reach Agreement To Settle Lawsuit
October 27, 2009
CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT TO IMPROVE AT YOUTH STUDY CENTER
The Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana (JJPL) joined with the City of New Orleans and the Orleans Parish School Board last night to file consent decrees in Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle’s court that set forth remedial plans for conditions of confinement and education at the Youth Study Center. The consent decrees, if approved by the court, will avoid a trial concerning conditions of confinement for young people housed at the Orleans Parish detention center. They follow twenty-two months of negotiations, after JJPL filed a class action lawsuit with international law firm Holland and Knight as co-counsel, on behalf of children housed at the facility in December 2007.
JJPL is heartened by this step forward, which will fundamentally improve conditions at the Center. “We are incredibly hopeful about this potential settlement, which marks a renewed commitment to juvenile justice reform by the City of New Orleans,” said Carol Kolinchak, JJPL Legal Director. “By filing the consent decrees, the city is pledging their commitment to a juvenile justice system that provides youth with quality education, proper mental healthcare, and other needed resources previously lacking – all in the best interests of both the youth and the city.”
Some aspects of the consent decrees include:
- Increased staffing for the Youth Study Center,
- Increased training of all staff, including such issues as suicide prevention, behavior and classroom management;
- Improved healthcare, including prohibiting staff from denying medical care to youth and increased medical and mental health staffing;
- Increased focus on programming, education and physical recreation;
- Full-time superintendent hired by March 2010;
- Increase of one social worker per unit.
“This agreement is the outcome of almost two years of hard work conducted by all parties to the litigation, including in particular Holland & Knight and the City of New Orleans,” stated JJPL Executive Director Dana Kaplan. “JJPL is thrilled with the outcome, and looks forward to continued collaboration with the City in implementing the settlement agreement.”
Download the Settlement Documents here: Final Proposed Conditions Consent Decree ; Final Proposed Education Consent Decree
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