Louisiana Senate approves proposal to make it easier to send minors to adult prisons • Louisiana Illuminator

Louisiana Senate approved on Thursday, a measure that could lead to more underage teenagers being sentenced to adult prisons.

Senators voted 28-9 in favor of A. state constitutional amendment Removing limits on the types of crimes for which people under 17 can be punished as if they were adults. The proposal would then be considered by the Louisiana Legislature and would need approval from statewide voters to become law. It will appear in the voting on March 29 or November 15.

If it passes Senate Bill 2 It would allow lawmakers to draft new legislation that would expand the court’s authority to send minors, including 15- and 16-year-olds and possibly 14-year-olds, to adult prisons. Child advocates opposed the proposal and believe it would further erode protections for troubled youth trapped in the criminal justice system.

Legislation follows suit a new law approved earlier this year This treats all youth over the age of 17 in the criminal justice system as adults. Sending 17-year-olds to the juvenile justice system instead of adult courts took away discretion from district attorneys.

In Louisiana, 15-, 16-, and, in more restrictive circumstances, 14-year-olds can already face adult prison sentences for a limited list of mostly violent crimes. These crimes include murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, aggravated battery, second or subsequent burglary of an inhabited dwelling, and second or subsequent violation of certain drug offenses.

The constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Heather Cloud, R-Turkey Creek, would replace the criminal list with language that would allow a minor to be charged as an adult for “any crime,” as long as lawmakers pass new laws.

Cloud repeatedly denied at a Senate hearing Thursday that he would seek to send juveniles to adult prisons for crimes other than human trafficking.

“Is this an attempt to charge younger children with less serious crimes as adults?” Sen. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, asked Cloud.

“These conversations will happen after the constitutional amendment goes into effect, if the people give us the authority,” Cloud responded.

This is an evolving story. Please check back with us for more details.