Two stories from Louisiana prisons: A cause for alarm and a pathway toward empowerment

Last summer, Louisiana state officials opened the high-security juvenile detention facility, the Acadiana Center for Youth in St. Martinville. But a recent investigation into the center by ProPublica, NBC News, and the Marshall Project found horrific conditions at the center, including teens held in solitary confinement for weeks at a time, shackled with leg irons during showers, and little to no education.  Beth Schwartzapfel, reporter with the Marshall Project, tells us more about the recent investigation.  The national non-profit Freedom Reads recently opened Freedom Libraries in two Louisiana prisons. The libraries are the brainchild of 2021 MacArthur Fellow Reginald Dwayne Betts who went from being a 16 year old sentenced to nine years in prison for a carjacking to becoming a critically acclaimed writer and graduate of the Yale Law School.  Betts joined us to discuss the founding of Freedom Reads, and how his organization aims to empower inmates through literature. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Karen Henderson. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber and our digital editor is Katelyn Umholtz. Our engineers are Garrett Pittman, Aubrey Procell, and Thomas Walsh.  You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at 12:00 and 7:30 pm. It’s available on Spotify, Google Play, and wherever you get your podcasts.  Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you’re at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you’d like to listen to. Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.