Systemic poverty threatens human dignity, endangers families, and is fundamentally antithetical to the American experiment. Unfortunately, too many of our government policies in the areas of criminal justice reform, social safety nets, workforce development, and occupational licensure present barriers to economic mobility and block off pathways to opportunity.
The Kane Center honors the work and passions of the Institute’s founder, Kevin Kane, who launched Pelican in 2008. Under his leadership the Institute played a leading role in a variety of critical issues, most notably in criminal justice reform. Kevin was honored by the Louisiana State Legislature following the passage of the landmark 2017 Justice Reinvestment Initiative, which will free thousands of Louisianans from the damaging cycles of recidivism and help these individuals re-enter society and find work. The scope of work in the Kane Center builds on this critical achievement and expands its reach to many others trapped by government policy that too often blocks meaningful pursuit of work and opportunity.
The New Orleans City Council may soon consider an ordinance intended to recognize city workers’ right to collectively bargain. The proposed ordinance would establish city workers’ organizing rights, set up a process for collective bargaining, and require the council to hire a labor relations administrator as a go-between for workers and the city. Proponents of...
Occupational licensing can be a significant barrier for individuals with criminal histories who are trying to enter the workforce and get their lives back on track. These requirements, typically put in place through laws passed by state lawmakers or through regulations enacted by licensing boards created by the legislature, mandate that individuals obtain a license...
Louisiana’s state government is the third most dependent state on federal funding. This is according to a report recently released by WalletHub that shows state rankings, with Alaska and Wyoming coming in at first and second. This follows another report release by the Tax Foundation that also ranks Louisiana as the third most dependent on...
You read that correct: One of every five Louisianans receive food stamps. Or, more technically, they receive payments from the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP), and those payments are used to purchase groceries. This is according to the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s newly released performance audit report of the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: COVID-19 Impact.” SNAP...
Louisiana has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, largely due to the state’s history of using long prison sentences. According to data from the Louisiana Department of Corrections, as of January 2022, there were approximately 32,000 people in Louisiana prisons and jails. Of those, about 18,000 were serving sentences of 10 years...
Earlier this month, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), the state agency in charge of administering food stamps (SNAP) and cash assistance (TANF), issued a press release announcing the end of the temporary pandemic-era increases in those benefits. Three years after the federal government increased benefits to help families out of work...
Louisiana’s official poverty rate of 19.6% in 2021 was the highest in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The map below by American Progress shows that higher poverty rates tend to be in the south. There has been $25 trillion (inflation-adjusted) spent on the “War on Poverty” since it was declared in 1964...
Louisiana’s collection of safety-net programs needs a paradigm shift so its low-income, work-capable citizens can move out of dependency on the government and find hope and lasting self-sufficiency. This starts with connecting people with a job, which is the best path to prosperity. Work brings dignity, hope, and purpose through the life-long benefits of earning...
Last week, about 160 Baton Rouge elected officials, law enforcement officers, business owners, nonprofits, and other community leaders launched a new public-private coalition to promote increased public safety across the city-parish. Called Safe BR, the initiative is focused on three pillars: providing resources and technology to law enforcement, community investment in strategies to stop crime,...
The New York Times and Reuters recently reported a finding by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that the Louisiana Department of Corrections is detaining inmates well past their legal release date. In a statement, the DOJ says it “has concluded there is reasonable cause to believe that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and...
Crime is a serious issue that demands thoughtful solutions to deter criminal behavior and promote public safety. Since the pandemic and protests, violent crime has been on the rise across the United States. During this turmoil, some have pushed the overcriminalization narrative too far by instituting no bail policies for violent offenders, releasing them back...
Occupational licensing is a government permission slip that is required to work in specific jobs. All states require licensing of certain occupations. Governments claim that these licenses are in place to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of consumers. However, many occupations, especially in the lower to middle-income range jobs, do no such thing. In...
This week the Pelican Institute for Public Policy released a report of crime data in Louisiana, adding important context to conversations about how to best address public safety and improve the justice system. The report was intended to aid policymakers in making decisions grounded in facts, data, and proven policies that increase public safety, reduce...
It’s been five years since the ten bills, colloquially known as criminal justice reform (CJR), passed the legislature and were implemented with bipartisan support. These new laws created alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders and programs to make the transition from prison back into society (known as reentry) more successful. Both had the goal of...