New Developments involving Children Housed in Infamous Prison in Louisiana

After significant out-cry from juvenile justice advocates, the children housed at the infamous Angola prison in Louisiana will now be removed. On Friday, Chief District Judge Shelly Dicks ordered the removal of the minors from the adult maximum-security prison by September 15th.

Judge Dick ruled that the living conditions amounted to cruel and unusual punishment, violated the 14th amendment and federal law protecting children with disabilities. Dozens of children were housed within the former death row unit of Angola prison — a former slave plantation.

Although the state promised that conditions would be comparable to other juvenile justice facilities, the reports out of Angola were incredibly disturbing. Children reported extended periods of solitary confinement, being deprived of education and their disability accommodations, and being physically abused by prison guards.

In court, one guard supervisor testified to an instance where pepper spray (which is banned in warfare), was used to discipline one of the children housed at Angola.

“For almost 10 months, children — nearly all Black boys — have been held in abusive conditions of confinement at the former death row of Angola – the nation’s largest adult maximum security prison,” lead counsel David Utter said in a statement obtained by the Huffington Post. “We are grateful to our clients and their families for their bravery in speaking out and standing up against this cruelty.”