Baton Rouge, LA – Right On Crime, a national campaign focused on conservative solutions to improve our criminal justice system, examines and recommends improvements to the complex and diverse entry points for community supervision in Louisiana after years of legislative and policy changes. In a new study, Community Supervision Part 2: Point of Entry, study author and ROC Director Scott E. Peyton outlines reasons to improve data collection, create consistency, and expand community partnerships to improve public safety. 

“As Louisiana lawmakers convene for a special legislative session focusing on crime, it’s imperative we examine the importance of community supervision with its impact on the lives of individuals, their families, and entire communities,” said Peyton. “When we create a robust and accountable community supervision system, we can decrease recidivism, prevent crime, create safer prisons, and make communities stronger.” 

Across the country, nearly 3.8 million men and women are being supervised in their communities on either probation or parole. In Louisiana, probation and parole (PNP) officers are supervising more than 43,000 men and women and providing an alternative to incarceration and allowing those on supervision to remain in their communities. In part two of ROC’s Community Supervision series, this research outlines Louisiana’s entry points for community supervision, both probation and parole, while examining successes and areas for improvement.

KEY POINTS:

  1. A thorough review of the Probation and Parole budget is recommended to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and to maintain the effectiveness and impact of community supervision. 
  2. The Louisiana legislature should review and update current Louisiana Department of Corrections policies concerning Earned Compliance Credits to conform with American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) model legislation. 
  3. To ensure consistency across the state, and to assess the effectiveness of the violation/revocation process, probation and parole should report quarterly revocation data by district office and officer.
  4. Special and general conditions of supervision should only include conditions directly related to public safety and should be tailored to the specific needs of the probationer. 
  5. Expand and fund partnerships with non-profit organizations. 

You can read the full study, Community Supervision Part 2: Point of Entry, here.

Right On Crime is a national campaign of the Texas Public Policy Foundation supporting conservative solutions for reducing crime, restoring victims, reforming offenders, and lowering taxpayer costs. The movement was born in Texas in 2007 and has led the way in implementing conservative criminal justice initiatives across the nation. For more information, visit our website at www.RightOnCrime.com.