Judge orders Louisiana to remove incarcerated youths from the state’s maximum-security adult prison

By SARA CLINE and KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A federal judge has ruled that incarcerated youths be removed from a temporary lockup at a former death row building in Louisiana’s adult maximum-security prison by Sept. 15. Juvenile detainees and advocates allege that youths have been held in harmful conditions, suffering through dangerous heat waves, extended confinement to their cells, foul water and inadequate schooling. Proponents say the space is needed to house high-risk aggressive youths, many of whom have been involved in violent incidents at other detention facilities, and to keep the community safe. An attorney for the state says an appeal is planned.