People who pose little risk are jailed in the New Orleans jail
Through the use of a research-based tool, people arrested and accused of a felony are assessed for risk of failing to appear in court and of being re-arrested if released. Detention of defendants who are found to present low and low-moderate risk should be the exception rather than the rule.
Out of the 425 people in jail on May 10, 2016 who were assessed for risk and given a risk score, 189 (or 44 percent) were found to present a low or low-moderate risk for re-arrest and failure to appear in court. Those 189 people represented 12 percent of the overall jail population, most of whom were held on a financial bail. This high number of people detained who were found to present a low and low-moderate risk suggests there is an opportunity to safely reduce the jail population by focusing on risk.
