NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Orleans Parish Juvenile Court judges told a City Council budget committee Tuesday (Oct. 29) that they see success in monitoring programs tempering youth crime in the city and that they should get money to develop them.

The justices said they want to expand programs that they say have contributed to a sharp decline in juvenile homicides this year. They said juvenile arrests were also down overall, but more money was needed.

While juvenile homicides are down 71 percent, judges and council members said they want progress to continue.

The number of juveniles committing crimes such as armed robbery has decreased by more than half, leading to a 10 percent reduction in the number of juveniles referred to the justice system. However, a change in state law imposed by Gov. Jeff Landry sent 17-year-old offenders back to Louisiana’s adult court system.

“We should celebrate this,” said Councilor Eugene Green.

The justices gave credit to programs such as the Evening Reporting Center, designed to keep tabs on low-risk offenders, hoping to keep them out of trouble for up to 45 days after their arrest .

“What we have seen, since it was implemented in 2019, is a reduction in arrests between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.,” Juvenile Court Judge Ranord Darensburg said.

Council warns money spigot could close for Orleans juvenile justice programs that can’t document their impact

Darensburg said the evening reporting center has been so successful that juvenile court judges are now hoping for a truancy center that would operate between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

“The data shows that truancy is a stepping stone to criminal activity,” Darensburg said.

The justices also said 80 percent of youth in the system have mental health issues and additional funding is needed to meet their needs.

“If we provide alternatives, kids come back less,” Juvenile Court Judge Candice Bates-Anderson said.

The judges said they are also working with the state to provide real-time monitoring of violent juvenile offenders on ankle monitors. They predict their numbers will decline as new programs are implemented to meet the “needs” of juvenile offenders.

Juvenile court judges asked the board to approve a 2025 budget request of $3.3 million. Council members say they will work to secure state assistance for new programs to reduce juvenile delinquency.