After numerous escapes from the Bridge City Center for Youth, some of the inmates will be moved to Angola. Governor John Bel Edwards made the announcement Tuesday after a weekend in which six inmates escaped from the Jefferson Parish facility.
“To be clear, they will not under any circumstance have contact with adult inmates. The structure is completely separate and apart from the camps that house adult inmates,” said Edwards.
While some inmates will be housed at Angola the Bridge City facility will remain open but with additional security. Edwards said after everything that has happened it’s clear the Bridge City campus cannot continue to operate as it has.
“But it is also obvious, given the number of juveniles in our system and the available space, closing Bridge City is not currently an option,” said Edwards.
Edwards said the Bridge City building is outdated and not properly equipped to serve as a youth facility and more security personnel will be provided in addition to the increase that was added last month. He said Office of Juvenile Justice will continue to oversee operations and while the situation is not ideal…
“But I do believe that the situation demands an immediate response, and these are the best options we currently have to ensure the safety of the youth, the staff and the community,” said Edwards.
An initial review shows that there were numerous deficiencies and failures that contributed to the escape of six juveniles. In the last year at least 26 inmates that have escaped from the site.
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