Jarvis DeBerry/Louisiana Illuminator
Gov. Jeff Landry has declared a state emergency to address what he said is lack of capacity to house violent offenders at Louisiana State Penitentiary. His proclamation allows state officials to expedite repairs at a section of the Angola prison that was shut down eight years ago for security reasons.
The governor’s emergency declaration clears the way for his office to expedite resources and personnel for Camp J, comprising four maximum-security buildings on the sprawling 18,000-acre prison grounds. Once known as the “Dungeon,” most of its cells were designated as solitary confinement to segregate prisoners for disciplinary reasons.
Warden Darryl Vanoy closed Camp J in 2017 after its cell locks malfunctioned, allowing inmates to evade security checks. Dozens of weapons were found inside, and approximately 85 correctional officers resigned, retired or were fired as a result of its conditions.
Despite its closure, a portion of Camp J was used as a quarantine site for incarcerated people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Landry’s emergency order suspends state procurement code and public bid law for the state to secure any goods and write or amend any contracts needed to respond to the emergency.
The governor signed the declaration July 25, but news of his action only became known over the weekend. The state of emergency remains in effect through Aug. 23.
There were 4,240 people incarcerated at Angola as of May 31, the most recent state figures available, and 91.5% of them were violent offenders.
There were more than 29,000 people in state custody across Louisiana, with 55% at nine state prisons. The other 45% are held in local jails where they’re either serving shorter sentences, awaiting transfer to a state facility or nearing the end of their incarceration.
Violent offenders accounted for 56% of the state prisoner total at the end of May.
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