Establish Better Justice System in Storms' Wake


Jan. 1, 2006
The Shreveport Times
Letter to the Editor by Elton B. Richey Jr.


I applaud the Times' call for making juvenile justice a priority in the rebuilding of our state. We do have the opportunity to turn the tragedy of hurricanes Katrina and Rita into an occasion to rebuild our juvenile justice system better than it was before the storms. A similar opportunity exists in rebuilding the larger criminal justice system by creating an adequate system for indigent defense. We would be wise to capitalize on both of these opportunities.

Louisiana, like every state, is required by the Constitution to provide qualified legal counsel to anyone accused of a crime who can't afford an attorney. For years, we have failed to meet this obligation -- in both the juvenile justice system and in the criminal justice system at large.

The hurricanes have dealt our already unbalanced and inadequate system a crippling blow. Now, as we address the problems created by the storms -- from backlogged cases and damaged evidence, to prisoners evacuated from affected parishes who should have been freed months ago -- key to our recovery is the establishment of a better system of justice. Fundamental to this effort is the implementation of a strong indigent defense system.

Without balance in the criminal justice system, there is no public safety. Without an assurance of public safety, we cannot convince our citizens to return, nor can we convince industry to consider locating within our borders. We cannot simply restore the same dysfunctional criminal justice system that was in place before the storms. If we do, then we will miss our best chance to show the rest of the nation that we not only have the ability to recover from these tragedies, but the resolve to make our state a better place to live.

We must not ignore this opportunity to create a strong indigent defense system and a balanced criminal justice system -- the safety of our citizens and our chances for a successful recovery are at stake.


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