By Jessica Washington
There isnât a lot we can agree on in this country. But generally, the idea that the mistakes you make as a child shouldnât necessarily haunt you for the rest of your life is one of them. Unless, of course, youâre a Republican lawmaker in Louisiana, and that child happens to live in a Black community. In that case, all bets are off.
Louisianaâs Republican-led House just passed a law requiring certain parishes in the state to create an online portal where the criminal records of juveniles convicted of certain crimes can be viewed. But the catch is that the only parishes required to make these portals are Orleans, Caddo, and East Baton Rogue Parish.
Now if, like me, you donât have a firm grasp on your Louisiana parishes, hereâs what these places all have in common: theyâre all parishes with large Black communities.
Supporters of this bill have argued that this is the only way to protect victims and keep the streets safe. But opponents of the billâeven those who donât necessarily disagree with the conceptâhave pointed out that it specifically singles out youth in Black communities as a threat. âAnd I find it very, very racist because thatâs where the majority of African American youth are having problems in their community,â Ronald Coleman, the president of the New Orleans Branch of the NAACP, told WDSU.
The billâs sponsors have argued that itâs race-neutral. âFrom my perspective, this bill doesnât target race; it doesnât target district attorneys; it doesnât target judges. This bill is about public safety. The public has a right to know. And for too long, the victims have been drowned out in the media by social justice theories that lower the bar on offender accountability,â State Representative Debbie Villio told the local news outlet.
Whatâs more, the records arenât just visible once the minor has been convicted. They include arrest information, custody, and bail decisions, and what happens at trial. Meaning a 14-year-old arrested on suspicion of stealing someoneâs purse could have their identity splashed on the internet for voyeurs to follow every minute of their case.
The law isnât final just yet. It will still have to go before the Republican-controlled Senate and Louisiana Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards. However, itâs worth noting that Republicans have a veto-proof majority in the state legislature, which means the law could go forward with or without Edwardsâs approval.
