An East Baton Rouge judge is offering some offenders on probation the option to be vaccinated for COVID in lieu of completing community service. So far Judge Fred T. Crisfasi has allowed two people the option in exchange for completing their court-ordered service. Baton Rouge Attorney Franz Borghardt said the judge is the one who orders community service, and the keyword is an option.
“And if the judge deems that a vaccination is community service, which there’s an argument there, the judge can waive the community service in exchange for a vaccination,” said Borghardt.
Borghardt said the vaccine option might appear strange in a courtroom setting but the judge has the ultimate discretion.
“I think it’s completely legal and it’s something that the court can do. Ultimately at the end of the day, the defendant has the right to say I don’t want to get a vaccination, then that’s fine go do the community service,” said Borghardt.
While this is the first judge, that Borghardt said he’s heard of offering the vaccine option, he doesn’t believe it will be the last in light of the now fourth surge of COVID, also known as the pandemic of the unvaccinated.
“You know in a perfect world if the person on probation has already gotten a vaccination, that’s the best scenario because then he or she is just showing proof of vaccination,” said Borghardt.
The Louisiana Department of Corrections is also offering state prison inmates a five-dollar canteen credit for vaccinations. Approximately 68-percent of inmates are currently vaccinated.
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