Louisiana’s Tough-on-Crime Policies Stand to Cost Taxpayers Millions More for Years to Come
Louisiana's tough-on-crime policies under Governor Jeff Landry are projected to significantly increase costs for taxpayers. The state's corrections budget is set to rise by 9%, reflecting a growing prison population due to new sentencing laws. Experts warn that these changes could lead to a $2 billion increase in prison costs by 2034.
- ▪Governor Jeff Landry's policies have led to an 8% increase in the state prison population in two years.
- ▪The proposed corrections budget of $798 million represents a 9% increase from the previous fiscal year.
- ▪Experts predict that the rollback of inmates' ability to reduce sentences will double the prison population by 2034.
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Illustration by Shoshana Gordon/ProPublica. Source image via Wikimedia Commons. Criminal Justice Rollback Louisiana’s Tough-on-Crime Policies Stand to Cost Taxpayers Millions More for Years to Come The governor’s office has dismissed experts’ concerns that his criminal justice rollbacks could swell the prison population and plunge the state into financial disaster. We analyzed how his policies have already begun to impact the state. by Richard A. Webster and Charles Maldonado, Verite News, graphics by Chris Alcantara, ProPublica Co-published with Verite News May 22, 2026, 5:00 am {"componentName":"ShareToolsRebrand","props":{"pageTitle":"Louisiana’s Tough-on-Crime Policies Stand to Cost Taxpayers Millions More for Years to…
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