Orleans Parish Prison Reform Coalition

Stop Orleans Justice Center Phase III Expansion (Smaller Jail) OPPRC continued to fight against a proposed new jail building (known locally as Phase III) while advocating for a retrofit option, which would simply renovate the existing Orleans Parish Prison to accommodate special-needs prisoners (e.g., the acutely mentally ill) instead of new and costly construction. Following OPPRCs years of advocating against jail expansion under the guise of mental health care, the New Orleans City Council unanimously approved a resolution supporting the alternative jail retrofit plan and halting Phase III construction. Key community leaders including Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the New Orleans medical communityvocally opposed constructing the proposed Phase III facility in favor of the cost-saving retrofit option. OPPRC organized a week-long letter-writing campaign that resulted in more than 900 community members sending letters to federal judges to support the alternative retrofit and demanding that federal judges halt plans to build a Phase III mental health jail.

Defund and Demilitarize NOPD Campaign - OPPRC reshaped the local conversation around defunding the police by organizing a Defund + Demilitarize NOPD campaign. OPPRC held a Defund NOPD rally demanding the defunding of the NOPDs $194 million operating budget, which drew hundreds of community members, many of whom newly galvanized by the uprisings that began in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Following the rally, OPPRC co-hosted two New Orleans Budget Breakdown informational webinars to educate hundreds of community members on what NOPD disinvestment looks like in New Orleans. The videos have received almost 5,000 views. Our community pressure to defund the police prompted the New Orleans City Council to create the Jerome "Big Duck" Smith Justice System Advisory Committee. The Committee will review pertinent peer-reviewed studies and applicable data.

Community Relief - In late 2020, OPPRC was the recipient of grant funds to provide direct financial relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida to community members who identify as directly- or indirectly impacted by the criminal legal system in New Orleans. In one month, we were able to help more than 300 families get through a period with no water, no A/C, and no income.