Prison Without Punishment
The broader implication of Marcantel's point—that prisons should take rehabilitation seriously in order to alleviate crime and protect the public—has become a primary talking point within our current moment of criminal justice reform, a moment in … Read more on The Marshall Project

The Black Family in the Age of Mass Incarceration
Examining a sample of states, Neal found that from 1985 to 2000, the likelihood of a long prison sentence nearly doubled for drug possession, tripled for drug trafficking, and quintupled for nonaggravated assault. …. As African Americans began … Read more on The Atlantic

Local doctors observe rise in infants exposed to drugs
In Louisiana, the increase can be seen in the number of Medicaid babies the state tracks — though medical officials say the drug problem isn't isolated to poor mothers. According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, the number of … Read more on Shreveport Times

Heroin, Murder, and the New Front in the War on Drugs
Louisiana already has the highest number of nonviolent offenders serving life without parole, according to a 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report, and state drug sentences tend to be extraordinarily harsh. Last year, Governor Bobby Jindal signed … Read more on VICE