Letter to East Baton Rouge Parish Judges to Take COVID-19 Preventative Measures

Advancement Project National Office joined a coalition of Louisiana-based organization to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison officials in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The coalition—which includes The Bail Project, Prison Watch New Orleans, East Baton Rouge Parish Prison Reform Coalition, Voice of the Experienced, and The Promise of Justice Initiative—urged Sheriff Gautreaux to undertake all possible measures to prevent the spread of infection. With six confirmed cases and the first death in East Baton Rouge Parish 1 (latest as of 3/19/2020), the region is one of the epicenters of this deadly disease in the United States. An outbreak of COVID-19 in the parish prison would 2 be swift and deadly. While law enforcement and the judiciary have already taken some measures in response, the letter urges officials to take action to prevent an outbreak that could be swift and deadly.