Louisiana § RS 15:745.1 - Declaration of public policy

§ RS 15:745.1. Declaration of public policy

A.  The goals of incarceration in the criminal justice system are as follows:

(1)  To protect the citizens of the state of Louisiana.

(2)  To punish conduct which is defined as criminal by the legislature.

(3)  To deter future conduct which is defined as criminal by the legislature.

(4)  To rehabilitate offenders so that they may be reintroduced into society as law-abiding citizens.

B.  The legislature recognizes that when ex-offenders return to their communities and families, they face numerous challenges to their successful reentry into the community.  Among these challenges, the most difficult to overcome are the barriers to employment.

C.  It is the intention of the legislature that this Part will provide opportunities to break the cycle of criminal recidivism, increase public safety, and assist the growing population of criminal offenders reentering the community to establish a self-sustaining life through opportunities in employment.

D.  The legislature hereby declares that it shall be the public policy of this state to promote initiatives that will provide ex-offenders with the support and services necessary to allow them to find employment and make healthy connections with their families and communities.  Such initiatives can help ex-offenders to become productively engaged with their communities, to work and support their families, and thus make both their communities safer and their families economically secure.

E.  The legislature further recognizes the excellence that the standardized reentry programs developed by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections have had on the successful reentry of many ex-offenders into their communities.  As a result of these successes, the legislature believes that it is equally important to replicate such programs in local and regional correctional facilities where statistically larger numbers of offenders are released each year.

F.  The sheriff of Pointe Coupee Parish has already initiated a reentry project at the Pointe Coupee Detention Center through a public-private venture.  The legislature believes that establishing a pilot program at this local facility would be  an efficient use of available resources.

G.  In balancing the legitimate needs of law enforcement agencies and the desire to facilitate reentry opportunities to individuals who have paid their debts to society, the Legislature of Louisiana enacts the provisions of this Part and authorizes the sheriff for the parish of Pointe Coupee to implement a pilot program which shall be called the "Offender Reentry Support Pilot Program".

Acts 2014, No. 342, §1.