Parish Officials Discuss Growing Inmate Population and Space Challenges

The Livingston Finance Meeting held on July 30, 2025, focused primarily on the challenges facing the parish's detention center, particularly regarding inmate housing and capacity issues.

During the meeting, officials discussed the current state of the detention center, which has approximately 616 beds. A portion of these beds must be reserved for medical inmates, which complicates the situation as the inmate population continues to grow. As a result, when the number of inmates exceeds capacity, the parish is required to transfer some prisoners to facilities in other parishes.

The discussion highlighted recent changes in laws that require inmates to serve longer sentences, contributing to the increased population at the detention center. This has led to ongoing conversations between the sheriff's office and parish officials about potential solutions, including the possibility of expanding existing facilities.

However, it was noted that efforts to create additional space have faced financial hurdles. The sheriff's staff indicated that while there were discussions about expanding the range facility, the costs and regulatory requirements made such expansions financially unfeasible at this time.

The meeting underscored the pressing need for a long-term solution to address the growing inmate population and the limitations of the current detention center. Further discussions and planning will be necessary to explore viable options for managing the situation effectively.