The New Orleans Office of Criminal Justice Coordination announced on Wednesday that the city has been awarded an additional $2 million from the MacArthur Foundation’s Safety and Justice Challenge.
According to Criminal Justice Commissioner Tenisha Stevens, there has been a 25 percent drop in the New Orleans jail population since 2015. The funding received from the award will be used to continue to build on those previous successes.
“We are proud to be one of the communities leading the way in addressing over-incarceration and making our system more just and equitable,” Stevens said. “Too many of our poor and black citizens are detained by a system that has proven to be inequitable.”
According to the MacArthur Foundation website, the Safety and Justice Challenge “is providing support to local leaders from across the country who are determined to tackle one of the greatest drivers of over-incarceration in America – the misuse and overuse of jails.”
“We look forward to continuing our work with the community, local leaders, and the MacArthur Foundation to create a fairer and more effective local justice system for all,” Stevens said.
