Youth records in mainly Black Louisiana areas may go public

By SARA CLINE
Associated Press

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — In Louisiana, a Republican lawmaker has filed legislation that would make all adult criminal court records and certain juvenile court records and case information available to the public online, at no-cost. Currently, juvenile court records are confidential. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is running for governor this year, said he hopes the legislation will bring “truth and transparency” to the state’s criminal justice system. Advocates for incarcerated youths oppose the bill — some describing it bluntly as racist — saying it could have unnecessary generational effects on juvenile delinquents. Advocates say juvenile records are confidential in the hopes of giving people a second chance, following a mistake they made as a kid.