Judge Scott Schlegel – A Legal Rebel With A Cause
Elain Ellerbe | December 18, 2018
In the 24th Judicial District located in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Judge Scott Schlegel created and presides over one of the most progressive and innovative criminal courts—though Judge Schlegel is quick…
In the Trenches of Reentry
Elain Ellerbe | October 16, 2018
Over the 25 years of my work with incarcerated individuals and their families, I have had the great pleasure and honor to run into a number of what I…
From Tax Burdens to Taxpayer—Hiring the previously incarcerated is Right on Crime
Elain Ellerbe | September 12, 2018
With the completion of the Louisiana-centric Employer Handbook, Right on Crime will embark on a series of regional Employer Summits in the Fall to educate and inform employers across…
Louisiana’s criminal justice reforms are working
Elain Ellerbe | September 7, 2018
This article by Elain Ellerbe originally appeared in Shreveport Times September 7, 2018. In 2017, Louisiana’s criminal justice system took a turn for the better. Realizing that Louisiana’s largest…
Pricey prison phone calls cost more than just dollars
Elain Ellerbe | August 13, 2018
According to Prison Policy Initiative, on July 18, 2018, the New York City Council passed legislation that requires the city to provide telephone services free of charge to individuals…
Reentry programs are pathways to redemption
Elain Ellerbe | August 1, 2018
Photo by The Advocate’s Hilary Scheinuk In a recent article, Grace Toohey, criminal justice reporter for The Advocate in Baton Rouge penned these words regarding a new reentry program…
Louisiana justice reinvestment funding now available
Elain Ellerbe | July 20, 2018
Photo by Brett Duke, Nola.com As a member of the Governor’s Justice Reinvestment Oversight Council, I attended the community Request for Proposal (RFP) information meeting held by the Louisiana Department…
Louisiana’s new incarceration ranking should not be taken lightly or for granted
Elain Ellerbe | June 28, 2018
According to a new report by the Prison Policy Initiative, Oklahoma has now surpassed Louisiana as the largest incarcerator in the United States by rate. Louisiana’s fall in the…
Juvenile justice still isn’t in Louisiana
Elain Ellerbe | June 20, 2018
Photo credit: Matthew Hinton of The Advocate Long before Louisiana dived into reforming its criminal justice system lawmakers restructured the state’s juvenile system with the passage of the Juvenile…
Cash Bail: Putting a Price on Freedom
Elain Ellerbe | June 13, 2018
Across the U.S. presently, several states are tackling controversial issues related to their bail systems. Right on Crime has advocated for reforms to the bail system that would tie…
Mental illness should not be a crime
Elain Ellerbe | June 6, 2018
A recent exposé by Reuters on inmate deaths at the East Baton Rouge Parish (EBR) Jail comes as no surprise to this life-long resident of the parish. For many…