Louisiana’s pretrial release system is broken and overlooks the risk posed by dangerous offenders who are released on bail and reoffend while awaiting trial—creating more victims, straining law enforcement resources, and undermining public safety.
Too often, unelected commissioners – not judges – regularly release violent and repeat offenders pretrial with little oversight. This lack of accountability weakens trust in our justice system and gives prosecutors limited tools to intervene.
Without input from law enforcement or written justification, commissioners set bail in serious cases with no appeal process for DAs to challenge the decisions. These serious cases can also be dismissed without explanation, while victims are left without answers. And the revolving door for violent criminals – who repeatedly offend while awaiting trial – erodes public confidence in our entire justice system.
While Louisiana’s constitution still requires bail for everyone, a proposed constitutional amendment would allow preventive detention for high-risk individuals, supported by a risk assessment tool.
Right On Crime offers a conservative seven-point plan focused on public safety and accountability. It includes shifting bail authority to elected judges, giving prosecutors appeal rights, requiring standardized bail documentation, and mandating written reasons for dismissals. Other proposed safeguards can ensure transparency and fairness without compromising the presumption of innocence.
Louisiana deserves a justice system that puts safety first — not one that gambles with innocent lives by releasing violent offenders back into our communities.