A unique and dynamic moment in criminal justice reform in Louisiana was created by newly-elected Governor John Bel Edwards’ public committed to reducing Louisiana’s incarcerated population by 14% with a focus on pre-trial diversion programs, reform sentencing for nonviolent offenders, and increased use of specialty courts. This Action Table will explore cross-sector strategies required to: reduce the disproportionate number of children, people of color, the mentally ill, and low income individuals entering the criminal justice system; ensure, at a minimum, constitutional treatment for all persons throughout the criminal justice system; and provide a pathway that prepares individuals returning from incarceration to re-enter a community ready for their return. Potential ideas for collaborative funding might include: support for policies and practices to ensure the system is responsive to the safety and justice needs of the region’s most vulnerable residents; dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline and aspects of the legal, economic, housing and healthcare systems serving as drivers to the criminal justice; and the development of policy, organizing, legal and advocacy tools and networks that facilitate active community engagement with elected officials and criminal justice system actors to reform the system and improve democratic accountability.

Although billions of post-Katrina redevelopment dollars and recent economic growth have strengthened the GNO region, low-income and marginalized populations are not reaping the benefits in equal measure to more privileged groups. Unequal investments in community-serving public infrastructure; rising rents and stagnant wages; growing displacement pressures and the suburbanization of poverty are perpetuating inequitable development. Regional public transit is woefully inadequate and 52% of working-age, African American males are unemployed. This action table explores cross-sector strategies designed to advance inclusive physical development and economic opportunity in the region. Potential work might support comprehensive housing, land use and public transit policies that improve regional housing choices, prevent displacement and increase low-income communities’ access to regional opportunities or leverage public spending, policies and shifting market dynamics to advance a quality work agenda that maximizes low income peoples’ employment potential in the region’s emerging sectors.

While New Orleans has been touted as a model for urban education reform, young people across the city continue to face significant barriers to their healthy development. 78,000 young people ages birth to 18 live in New Orleans; 44% of them live in poverty. More than 26,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 24 in the metro region are not connected to school or employment. Further, these statistics disproportionately impact children and youth of color. There are several efforts to consolidate and align systems and programs to support young people in their healthy physical, social, emotional and intellectual development. For the first time in more than a decade, all New Orleans public schools will return to the control of a locally-elected school board. Disparate early childhood education programs are becoming a coordinated New Orleans Early Education Network, as responsibility for early care and education moves from the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services to the Department of Education. This action table will explore opportunities to increase equity, improve well-being, and create better conditions and outcomes for young people in the city. Potential work might focus on efforts to support youth voice, foster youth leadership, build organizational capacity, improve coordination and address the impacts of racism and systemic oppression on children and youth of color and other marginalized populations.