Juvenile defendants in Orleans Parish will no longer be held on bail.
Effectve immediately, the court will only hold juvenile offenders if they're considered a public risk.
A release from the court says elimination of the bail system is a result of a vote by Orleans Parish Juvenile Court Judges, The change is part of an effort to eliminate polices that base liberty on a person’s wealth rather than their criminal history and potential behavior.
According to Chief Judge Candice Anderson, “Moving forward in New Orleans, youth will not be detained when the only impediment to release is indigence.”
A statement from the court says the new resolution will provide for:
1. The release of youth on personal recognizance of parents, unless there is an established likelihood of failure to appear or danger to themselves or others
2. No cash bail or financial conditions for release
3. No detention of youth based only upon an inability of the youth or the family to pay a bill
4. Assurance that conditions of release are directly related to court appearance/failure to appear
Earlier in 2018, Orleans Juvenile Courts phased out the use of electronic monitoring in favor of moving towards “a more holistic and interactive approach.”