HLS 14RS-1680 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 135
BY REPRESENTATIVE SMITH
CORRECTIONS/PRISONERS: Requests the Department of Public Safety and Corrections
to establish partnerships with area universities to provide additional access to
individual therapy and drug treatment for inmates at the Louisiana Correctional
Institute for Women
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to establish2
partnerships with universities in the state of Louisiana in order to provide access to3
individual therapy and drug treatment for inmates at the Louisiana Correctional4
Institute for Women.5
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Women's and Policy Research Commission (commission)6
is the state commission charged with monitoring the status of Louisiana women for the7
purposes of evaluating their economic, educational, and health issues, analyzing trends that8
impact women's health and prosperity, and providing policy recommendations to address the9
challenges women in our state face; and10
WHEREAS, Act No. 668 of the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature requires the11
Louisiana Women's Policy and Research Commission to submit detailed annual reports to12
the governor on each subject which it is monitoring; and13
WHEREAS, the Louisiana Women's Policy and Research Commission's 2013 Report14
to the Governor (report) focused on four main areas including women's health; gender-based15
violence; women, education and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math; and women16
and economic concerns; and17
WHEREAS, the report also included a special trends section focusing on incarcerated18
women in the state as female incarceration impacts health, safety, and the well-being of19
many women and communities throughout Louisiana; and20 HLS 14RS-1680 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 135
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WHEREAS, the special trends section of the report reveals that Louisiana's rate of1
incarceration in 2012 was eight hundred and ninety-three per one hundred thousand people,2
a rate which is twenty percent higher than any other state; and3
WHEREAS, members of the commission visited the Louisiana Correctional Institute4
for Women (LCIW), the only female correctional facility operating at the state level, and5
made it the focus of their research on Louisiana incarcerated women's issues; and6
WHEREAS, the report reveals that of the average one thousand and eighty women7
incarcerated at LCIW in Fiscal Year 2013, forty-four percent were listed as being on8
psychiatric medication, seventy-seven percent were categorized as suffering from severe9
mental illnesses, and seventy-eight percent were categorized as having an addiction disorder;10
and11
WHEREAS, the report states that the high number of people with mental health and12
substance abuse disorders in the justice system is expensive, and that individuals with these13
behavior health issues have high recidivism rates; and14
WHEREAS, the Steve Hoyle Intensive Substance Abuse Treatment Program, the15
state's drug treatment program, located at the Bossier Parish Prison, only reserves twenty-16
five positions for incarcerated women; and17
WHEREAS, the LCIW offers support groups and makes quality healthcare available18
to many inmates who may never have had adequate access to health care prior to their19
incarceration; however, LCIW does not have the resources to offer individual drug treatment20
to inmates; and 21
WHEREAS, a number of universities in the state of Louisiana offer degrees in social22
work, psychiatry, and psychology and are in a unique position to offer their guidance or23
assistance to those incarcerated at LCIW.24
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby25
urge and request that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections explore and26
establish partnerships with universities within the state to provide additional access to27
individual therapy and drug treatment for inmates at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for28
Women.29 HLS 14RS-1680 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 135
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the1
secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the president2
of each university in the state of Louisiana.3
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Smith HCR No. 135
Urges and requests that the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections explore
and establish partnerships with universities within the state to provide additional access to
individual therapy and drug treatment for inmates at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for
Women.