NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Some lawmakers hope to curb violence in New Orleans by passing new laws, but the president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission believes one of the proposals could hinder crime prevention.
According to statistics from the Metropolitan Crime Commission, during the first 14 days of February, New Orleans officers made more than 130 weapons offense arrests of which nearly 50 of those arrests were felonies.
During the special legislative session, lawmakers will consider a bill that would allow Louisianians who are 18 and older to carry a concealed gun without a permit.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche said among the ways the NOPD has reduced violent crime is firearm enforcement.
“Effectively, they are cutting the legs out from underneath a tool, a strategy that law enforcement uses to reduce violent crime not just in the city of New Orleans but in every community in the state of Louisiana,” Goyeneche explained.
Another proposed law will aim to increase transparency within the criminal justice system, including violent crimes involving juveniles.
“The public still elects juvenile judges. They just don’t know anything what’s happening behind the shroud of secrecy that the code bestows on the juvenile justice system. So, I think there will be some legislation that addresses the transparency issues and recognizes and distinguishes between violent and nonviolent juvenile offenders,” said Goyeneche.
Governor Jeff Landry is also proposing legislation that is focused on criminal rehabilitation.
“I think that this legislation is going to be about truth in sentencing and recognizing we need to do a better job of assessing the program that’s being offered to these inmates to make sure it’s producing the desired results,” said Goyeneche. “And also putting maybe more of objective metrics to determine whether those programs are producing the desired results.”
The special session resumes on Tuesday.
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