Prison Overcrowding Crisis (1986)
Louisiana: The State We're In

Details
Collection:LPB
Genre: Newsmagazine
Place Covered: Louisiana
Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority
Date Issued: 1986-10-17
Duration: 00:08:35
Subjects: Crime | Prisons | Prison overcrowding | Louisiana. Department of Corrections | Criminal justice, Administration of
Contributors:
- Hinton, Rob Host
- Phelps, C. Paul Interviewee
- Foti, Charles Interviewee
- Litchfield, Elmer Interviewee
- Baiamonte, John Speaker
Description
This segment from the October 17, 1986, episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” features Rob Hinton’s report on the prison overcrowding crisis in Louisiana. Hinton reports that the Department of Corrections stopped taking in new inmates in July due to budget cuts, which caused a backlog of prisoners at parish jails. He interviews: Secretary C. Paul Phelps of the Louisiana Department of Corrections; Orleans Parish Sheriff Charles Foti; and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Elmer Litchfield. His report also includes highlights of John Baiamonte, the chairman of the Governor’s Prison Overcrowding Policy Task Force, speaking to the Baton Rouge Press Club.