Congressman Carter, Mayor Cantrell Announce New Funding for Criminal Justice Initiatives in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (LA-02) and Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced federal FY 2024 Community Project Funding grants for criminal justice initiatives in the City of New Orleans. This funding will support Violence Intervention programming and the New Orleans Police Department Crime Lab.

“265 lives were lost in New Orleans to violence in 2022, and since then even more people have suffered. It’s past time we do something about it,” said Rep. Carter. “I’m proud to announce this funding offering a lifeline and providing crucial support for public safety enhancements to curb the violence plaguing our communities. By addressing the root causes of violence and providing comprehensive intervention services, including cognitive behavioral therapy, case management, and community outreach, this initiative will make strides in reducing crime rates and fostering a safer, more resilient city. This funding represents an investment in public safety and a commitment to building a brighter, more secure future for all residents.”

Congressman Carter secured $963,000 for the City of New Orleans Office of Criminal Justice Coordination’s Violence Intervention Program. To combat the city’s violence epidemic, a complex public health problem with numerous interconnected causes, New Orleans needs a robust, comprehensive community violence intervention program that addresses key drivers of risk – disconnection to supportive work and entrenched mental health needs. This funding will be used for staff to support participants, including, but not limited to, cognitive behavioral therapy specialists, case managers, community outreach workers, and project management. It will also support participant wages and more fungible uses to support participant participation such as transportation.

"The City remains focused on getting the necessary resources to not only build back better, but to secure the tools and equipment needed to outfit our crime lab for the 21st century,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "We are one of the only cities in the United States of America getting it done. Building partnerships and focusing on real solutions is the only way to make progress happen and we didn't have to look far, we found it in Congressman Troy Carter and in Senator Bill Cassidy. We've been utilizing State resources for DNA testing, now we are making sure the City of New Orleans can take care of herself at every stage. We will stay focused on improving and being better than we were from Hurricane Katrina. Partnerships is the only way to go, and our federal partners understand the spirit of collaboration and the need for these resources to get the job done."

“With adequate funding the New Orleans Crime Lab can tackle the backlog and reduce the number of crimes that go unsolved,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We made it a top priority to secure this funding because every victim deserves justice.”

“Fighting crime takes more than just manpower; it takes special tools, equipment and programs like Violence Intervention which reach into the community and work on the root causes of violence and crime,” said NOPD Superintendent Kirkpatrick. “That’s why these funds are so crucial. We are grateful to Senator Bill Cassidy and Congressman Troy Carter for their support and their efforts on behalf of the NOPD and the community in securing these funds.”

"In contrast to the dominant narratives that rely on mass incarceration and "tough on crime" approaches to reduce violence in our community, we know that to deliver real, effective solutions, New Orleans must implement a multipronged, holistic approach that advances comprehensive and humane accountability by investing in root solutions that build healthy, flourishing, and ultimately safe communities," said Criminal Justice Commissioner Tenisha Stevens. "This investment by Representative Carter, is a key component of this multi-pronged approach that will support violence intervention by addressing key drivers of risk– disconnection to supportive work and entrenched behavior health needs."

"Last year, my office partnered with the state crime lab to ensure backlogged rape kits from New Orleans were processed," said District B Councilmember Lesli Harris. "We allocated $1.5 million to clear the state sexual assault kit backlog by sending rape kits to a private DNA company to assist with testing. These additional funds from the federal government will help set up the City's crime lab to be fully functional and certified to process DNA kits. This money is vital in closing cases and providing much-needed justice to constituents."

“As the Councilmember for District E, I am proud to stand with Mayor Cantrell and Congressman Carter to celebrate these much-needed funds of almost 3.4 million dollars that are targeted towards the New Orleans Crime Lab and Violence Intervention,” said District E Councilmember Oliver M. Thomas, Jr.“Efforts like these are critical as we continue working to make our city a safer place.  I commend all those responsible for making this funding possible.”

“Violence is a Health Crisis, it’s impossible for one organization/institution to address all the issues. It takes a collective response from multiple stakeholders.” said Ernest Johnson, Co-Founder and Director, Ubuntu Village NOLA.

"I want to thank Mayor Cantrell, Congressman Carter, Senator Cassidy and Commissioner Stevens for their leadership and this funding that will outfit the crime lab with leading edge forensic software and forensic hardware equipment along with other critical resources for the DNA unit," said Dr. Kelley. "This appropriation is another tremendous step toward DNA accreditation that will help bring fair and timely administration of justice which is the cornerstone of our democracy.  Since my appointment, we have made notable strides toward DNA accreditation including procedural development from scratch which takes time and incredible effort, in addition to building new workstations and implementing a training program as early as next week. Evidence processing is indeed an integral component of the legal process, and we want to make sure it is done with precision and expediency, and that is what this funding is going to do. I am incredibly excited to put these resources to work that will bring critical DNA testing to the City of New Orleans."

Additionally, Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (LA) announced $2.4 million for the City of New Orleans for equipment for the New Orleans Crime Lab. This was also acquired through FY 2024 Community Project Funding.

Background

Congressman Carter secured $17,518,279 in Community Project Funding for Louisiana’s 2nd District in the 2024 spending bills. This funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds directly to some of Louisiana’s most pressing needs.

Read more about all of Congressman Carter’s Community Project Funding projects here.

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