Commission approves nearly $95 million in criminal-justice facility recommendations, shifts $3 million to Concordia Parish rehab

The Criminal Justice Priority Funding Commission on Thursday approved a slate of capital awards for juvenile and adult facility projects across Louisiana, shifted $3 million to a Concordia Parish rehabilitation project for 17‑year‑olds and approved $5 million for the statewide Integrated Criminal Justice Information System (ICGIS).

Commission members voted without objection to accept the working panel’s recommendations — including awards originally totaling $94,906,680 for four facility projects — and to implement a $3,000,000 addition for Concordia Parish after Representative Bakula successfully moved to reduce the planned $19,000,000 award for the New Jetson Center for Youth to $16,000,000 and reallocate $3,000,000 to Concordia.

The working panel had recommended the following awards before the change: “New Jetson Center for Youth, East Baton Rouge Parish — $19,000,000; Central Louisiana Juvenile Detention Center (Rapides Parish) — $37,978,880; River Parishes Regional Juvenile Detention Center (Thibodaux) — $36,615,100; Tangipahoa Parish work‑release/dormitory and infrastructure upgrades (Amite) — $1,312,700,” Matt Baker, assistant director of facility…