On March 29, Louisiana voters youth jail amendment will be tasked with voting on Liberty and Dignity Coalition 3, a proposed change to the state constitution that will create a pathway for any child to be transferred to adult court for any felony offense.
Transferring children to the adult criminal legal system increases the likelihood of reoffense, abuse and suicide of young people within the system, and makes it nearly impossible for young people to access the rehabilitative services they need to successfully rejoin their communities.
The Liberty and Dignity Coalition released the following statement in response to the proposed amendment:
Amendment 3 removes constitutional protections for youth jail amendment and hands over too much power to legislators, creating new opportunities for them to “disappear” problems by throwing our children away in adult prisons rather than doing the necessary work of addressing our state’s most pressing challenges. The amendment robs our kids of the opportunity to take accountability for their mistakes—understanding the consequences of their actions and committing to getting back on track. Adult prisons do not have the resources our kids need to support their development and when placed in adult prisons, kids are at risk of physical and sexual abuse.
As Louisianans, legal experts, advocates, organizers, and people directly impacted by Louisiana’s criminal legal system, we know the dangers Amendment 3 poses to our communities. Louisianans deserve safety and transparency—two things that are woefully absent from this measure.
For more information, visit NoOn3LA.org.
About the Liberty and Dignity Coalition
The Liberty and Dignity Coalition & (LDC) works across Louisiana for a healthy, sustainable, joyful, equitable, safe, and secure future for all. We build strategic cross-sector partnerships by increasing community power through voter engagement, community organizing, advocacy, and political education. Our coalition seeks to reform economic systems, resist attacks on our collective freedom, reimage public safety, and recreate institutions through reinvestment in Louisianans.
Coalition Members Include
ACLU Louisiana
Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children
Innocence Project New Orleans
Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights
Louisiana Organization for Immigrants and Refugees
New Orleans Children and youth jail amendment Planning Board
Power Coalition
The Promise of Justice Institute
The St. Charles Center for Faith and Action
Vera Louisiana
