Children Detained In Louisiana's Angola Prison Are Routinely Punished

 

Older prisoners have been punishing children incarcerated at Louisiana’s Angola prison, which is located on the Gulf of Mexico in the United States. Angola Prison in Louisiana still harbors a sinister secret. The cycle of violence has been continued by children or juvenile offenders, producing a hidden epidemic that endangers their physical and mental health.

The Guardian’s article, “Bloodiest prison in the US: Children detained in Louisiana’s Angola prison allege abuses,” explores this perplexing dichotomy.

Take the terrifying instance of Charles “Chuck” Daniel, who was incarcerated in 1996 at the age of sixteen. Later, he was moved to the Angola jail in Louisiana, widely referred to as the “Alcatraz of the south.” For attempted murder and armed robbery, he was given a 149-year sentence that he had to complete. At the time, he was among the youngest inmates. The older prisoners severely punished him. He had to wash himself with the toilet water in his cell because adult prisoners would hurl their own waste at him. Children are especially harmed by this appalling treatment.

Six kids broke out of a juvenile correctional facility west of New Orleans in Bridge City, Louisiana, last summer.

The 17-year-old plaintiff in the federal class-action complaint, Charles C, who was hurt by prison officials after being slammed against a wall, stated, “I worry about my mental health because I’m forced to be in these cells.”

Following a hearing, US district judge Shelly Dick ruled that the kids must leave the Angola facility.

The experiences of these kids and other people serve as a reminder of the urgent need for change. Effective action must be taken to stop this practice.