If you’re in New Orleans, come check out our exhibition “Captive State: Louisiana and the Making of Mass Incarceration” at 520 Royal Street in the French Quarter (The Historic New Orleans Collection, always free). The show is on view through February 16. www.forbes.com/sites/chadds... - ThreadSky

nickweldon.bsky.social • 107 days ago

If you’re in New Orleans, come check out our exhibition “Captive State: Louisiana and the Making of Mass Incarceration” at 520 Royal Street in the French Quarter (The Historic New Orleans Collection, always free). The show is on view through February 16. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chaddscott/2024/09/19/historic-new-orleans-collection-explores-human-tragedy-of-mass-incarceration-in-louisiana/

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nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

I worked with the curators as an exhibition editor, helping craft the narrative and also contributing original research, including for the many data graphics sprinkled throughout the show. That data, by the way, is staggering.

nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

Louisiana is at or near the top of national and global incarceration rates, despite declining violent crime. Our state invests hundreds of millions into this system, mostly locking up folks for nonviolent offenses, and often does so in error, as we also boast US-leading exoneration rates.

nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

A rash of “tough-on-crime” laws beginning in the 1970s (some of which can be seen on this graphic) contributed to an exponential spike in incarceration—with harsher penalties straining the system to such a degree that we have gone from 193 ppl serving life sentences here in 1972 to well over 4,000.

nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

That’s more people growing old and dying in prison. In Louisiana, a life sentence is a death sentence.

nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

“Captive State” puts human faces to this modern crisis, and also dives into the policy choices made across 300 years—from nonunanimous juries to convict leasing back to French colonial Code Noir—that have built up this system that has harmed Black Louisianans since the founding of the state.

nickweldon.bsky.social•107 days ago

It is not easy history, but it is valuable context as Louisiana’s leaders are now advocating for expanding the carceral state further. It will challenge you to consider our common humanity and the power we have to change things that are broken. I’m proud of our work and I hope you’ll come see it.

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