Cosmopolitan: Life Is Excruciating Enough For Mothers of Incarcerated Children. The Pandemic Makes It Impossible

August 26, 2020

O’Melveny, alongside the Promise of Justice Initiative, the Juvenile Law Center, and the Law Office of John Adcock, filed a lawsuit on behalf of all incarcerated juveniles in Louisiana for constitutional rights violations suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, this article reported.

Cosmopolitan interviewed several mothers who described instances in which incarcerated children, some with release dates less than a year away, were denied early discharge and have been subject to solitary confinement, inadequate healthcare, and cuts to mental health services. To date, 77 employees and 29 children at these facilities tested positive for coronavirus, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ).

The publication noted the lawsuit suffered a setback in July when a federal judge praised the OJJ (which oversees the facilities) and blocked the request to release or furlough children. However, mothers and legal advocates alike continue to pressure the state to develop and implement improved practices to keep kids safe.

Read the full article here.