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Criminal justice advocates say holding youth at the state’s prison will lead to worse outcomes.<\/p>\n
NEW ORLEANS \u2014 Thursday night members of the community stood outside the front entrance of the Bridge City Youth Center, opposing Governor Edward’s decision to send youth to the Louisiana State Penitentiary.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The governor announced this week that about half the youth will be moved from Bridge City Youth Center to the state’s prison. Upwards of 20 people Thursday night, including criminal justice advocates, said youth should not be housed in an adult facility, period.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Gina Womack, Executive Director at Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children<\/a>, says the decision is directly impacting Black and brown youth, because Angola was once a plantation.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n RELATED: “We were kind of blindsided by this decision” – Baton Rouge says they’re not ready to house juveniles<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n “The majority of the children incarcerated are Black and brown young people and it’s completely outrageous to then further traumatize these young people whose families have been seeking support and services, to now move them to a plantation,” Womack said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Youth justice advocates are against the Governor\u2019s decision to send children to Angola @WWLTV<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JtvJo761yV<\/a><\/p>\n\n